I only did what Dr M did to Tunku, says Boo

PETALING JAYA - A day after his call for Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s resignation drew condemnation from PPBM, DAP’s Dr Boo Cheng Hau today said he had done nothing wrong as the prime minister himself had once called for Tunku Abdul Rahman’s resignation.

“It is no different from Mahathir’s call in 1969 for the resignation of Tunku Abdul Rahman,” Boo told FMT, adding that it is the democratic right of the public to demand the “best leader we think possible” to lead the country.

Yesterday, Boo, in calling for Mahathir’s resignation, had hit out at the veteran leader for belittling the pledges in Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) manifesto.

The Johor DAP committee member also attacked PPBM for accepting former Umno leaders into its fold, while venting his fury at those who claimed Barisan Nasional would not have been toppled without Mahathir’s leadership.

This drew a sharp response from PPBM Supreme Council member Muhammad Faiz Na’aman, who said Boo was “insolent” for denying Mahathir’s role in PH’s election victory last year.

Boo today said he had always respected Mahathir’s “resilience” as a senior politician and prime minister, but added that he was opposed to the return of old policies seen in Mahathir’s previous tenure.

“Many of his present statements are not only contradictory to the PH consensus and manifesto but also damaging to PH’s credibility as a whole,” he said.

Boo also said he was standing by his criticism of PPBM for accepting ex-Umno members.

“PPBM has allowed Umno members with doubtful integrity to cross over by breaching PH’s consensus to stop party-hopping that has encouraged corruption and money politics.”

Boo said despite Mahathir’s statement that PH’s manifesto was not cast in stone, he had allowed time for Mahathir to perform before calling for his resignation.