Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak tried to dispel rumours that his administration’s openness to national conciliation talks with the federal opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition is not a sign that the Barisan Nasional (BN) is likewise open to the idea of a unity government.
Najib, who claimed to have mooted the idea for conciliation talks between parties before any other side brought it up, said the path ahead lies in forgin unity through transformative changes his administration hopes to implement.
“I must make it clear that these plans do not include the formation of any sort of unity government,” Najib said in a statement.
He said his BN government had been given a strong mandate to rule by the people, which he hoped to honour.
“I am now heartened to see that the Opposition is calling for a consensus and I am sure that they will welcome this new development,” he said, adding that the opposition coalition has a role to play in the country’s progress. “We are open to talking to all parties and we can use Parliament including the setting up of bipartisan committees to discuss issues affecting national unity.”
Source: The Malay Mail Online
