He said this in response to several PN leaders claiming that a major victory for the coalition in the upcoming six state elections would result in a change of the federal government. In a statement today, Lee said the federal government has passed three legitimacy tests: via voting, a decree by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and a vote of confidence in Parliament.

He also said PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin was offered to form the government with Pakatan Harapan, but rejected it.   “Now (PN is) planning to seize power. Many times recently, since the formation of the unity government, the sultans from Johor to Perak have called for stability and unity to be a priority.

“Yet they (PN) are struggling to politicise and threaten the nation’s stability and politics. They are getting braver and increasingly threatening. “If they do not intend to disobey the royal institution and sabotage the nation’s recovery and development, is PN willing to give their commitment that they will not seek to change the federal government regardless of the outcome of the state elections,” Lee (above) questioned.

Yesterday, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang claimed that PN’s victory in the state polls is of utmost importance to change the federal government.   “If we win, then there will be a change of federal government. That is what it means,” the PN deputy chairperson told some 500 supporters at at the Sendayan Merchant Square in Negeri Sembilan.

Insisting federal govt can change

Hadi has said before that he was responsible for instigating a change in the first Pakatan Harapan federal government in 2020, formed after the 14th general election. He also on numerous occasions hinted at yet another change of administration, despite Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s repeated assurance that the state polls will have no impact on the stability of the federal government.

Hadi also claimed such a change of government outside of a general election is a normal occurrence in politics. Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu also reportedly said there are other ways the federal government can be changed, despite the the anti-party-hopping law being in force.

“There are many ways (to change the government) in our country. Even with an anti-hopping law, there are other legal ways that can be used to change a federal or state government. “There are legal ways under the Federal Constitution that can be done,” Faizal was reported as saying yesterday. 

Betraying the rakyat and royals

Meanwhile, Lee said although he was confident the current federal government was not under threat, the PN leaders’ statements reveals the stripes of those willing to do anything for power. “It is implicitly clear in Ahmad Faizal’s statement that there is an agenda to overthrow the unity government at the federal level and state levels.

“With the enforcement of the anti-hopping law, all efforts to transfer power - including whatever legislative ins and outs - are a betrayal to the people, a slap and insult to the parliamentary institution, and treason to the royal institution,” said the DAP MP.

Separately, PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad called on PN to bury its dreams of changing the federal government and to focus on becoming a formidable opposition instead. He also called on the opposition to understand the legal processes in the country. “Faizal’s statement that the federal government can be changed if PN wins the state elections shows that he doesn’t understand the law.

“Enough with that, we have gone through multiple changes of government (in the past four years), and we must heed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s decree for a stable government,” said the cabinet minister as quoted by Utusan Malaysia.