KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — Lim Kit Siang wished Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad a happy birthday as the latter turns 93 today, reiterating his alliance with the prime minister to build a “new Malaysia” under Pakatan Harapan.

The 77-year-old DAP veteran said that there was no “honeymoon” for the new administration in its 60th day of being in power and urged the coalition to quickly fulfill their election promises. 

“Today is the 60th day of the new PH government in Putrajaya,” he said.

“There is no honeymoon for the PH ministers and deputy ministers for they must work from the very beginning to fulfill the promises of a New Malaysia, as PH does not intend to be a one-term government in Putrajaya, but to be able to continue the work to build a New Malaysia in the 15th and 16th General Elections.”

Lim also said that while many questioned how he could cooperate with Dr Mahathir despite the opposition Lim experienced when Dr Mahathir was prime minister, it was ultimately because “a supreme effort had to be mounted” to save Malaysia.

“I was even detained for 18 months with Guan Eng under the Internal Security Act during Operation Lalang from October 1987 to April 1989,” he said.

“Malaysia was placed in unparalleled peril under the sixth prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, with Malaysians ashamed to admit that they are Malaysians in the international arena because of the infamy, ignominy and iniquity of becoming a global kleptocracy as a result of Najib’s international 1MDB money-laundering scandal, hurtling in the trajectory towards a failed, rogue, kakistocratic and kleptocratic state.”

“Nobody could be sure but a supreme effort had to be mounted, for we believe that Malaysians who want a clean, just,  free, democratic and united Malaysia are more patriotic than Malaysians who are prepared to see Malaysia go down the drain to become a failed, rogue, kakistocracy and kleptocratic state,” Lim added.

He attributed PH’s shocking win to Malaysians who had voted for “the impossible” defeat of Barisan Nasional, while restoring hope for democracy on a world stage.

Lim also reminded political leaders to remain sensitive and sensible to the aspirations of Malaysians.

“In the process, all political leaders and even Malaysians have a lot to learn from both the successes and mistakes of nation-building in the past six decades – whether Mahathir, Anwar Ibrahim or even myself as we have to be more sensitive and sensible with regard to the legitimate aspirations of all Malaysians,” he said.

“We must reject irresponsible political opportunists who thrive only on racial hatred and by inciting the Malays to hate the Chinese or urging the Chinese to distrust the Malays, completely forgetting the National Anthem that ‘Negaraku, Tanah tumpahnya darahku, Rakyat hidup Bersama dan Maju’.”