Don’t air our dirty linen in public, Wan Saiful tells PN

August 3, 2024

Don’t air our dirty linen in public, Wan Saiful tells PN

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersatu Supreme Council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan has urged Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders to discuss coalition issues internally first and not rush to make public statements.

“It is fitting for these issues to be discussed internally first. There’s no need for us to discuss these issues in public.

“If the matter can be discussed at a meeting, then raise it when you meet. If there’s a need to make an announcement, then do so.

“If the issue is worth a discussion, then bring it to a coffee shop. My request to PN leaders – say the right thing at the right place,” the Tasek Gelugor MP said during a media engagement in Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Wan Saiful’s comments follow a bitter dispute between coalition parties PAS and Gerakan over the role of brewery companies in facilitating fundraising events to aid in the development of Chinese schools.

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The row reached the point where PAS information chief and former PN Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari stated that PAS might not be able to work with Gerakan in the next general election if the latter maintained its position on alcohol companies and Chinese schools.

Shortly thereafter, Gerakan president Dominic Lau said PN leaders have yet to sit down and discuss how to align their differences since its formation.

Wan Saiful said the top leaders have to discuss a strategy to streamline communications and public statements to avoid misunderstandings.

He said the uncontrolled remarks by certain PAS leaders had led critics to believe that they were arrogant.

“I know my friends from PAS, Gerakan and Bersatu. They are not arrogant. Sometimes they voice their opinions and subsequently there are misunderstandings.

“We have to coordinate these differences to avoid accusations,” he said.

Concern over plans to regulate social media

Separately, Wan Saiful urged the government to engage PN and provide a better explanation to stakeholders before implementing licensing for social media companies.

He said he was concerned about the government’s transparency over plans to regulate social media and its targeting of dissenters.

“The government has openly and frequently ordered social media platforms to remove postings that are not aligned (with its policies).

“In this situation, there’s no way for us to trust it absolutely to regulate social media,” he said.

Wan Saiful said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had been slow to remove posts that slander PN but quick to remove similar posts aimed at the government.

“An individual had apologised to me in court for slander on social media, but long after the court case concluded, MCMC is still investigating the case. What is taking them so long?” he said, but did not specify which case this was.

He added that the government should have expedited the formation of the media council but had instead suddenly decided to introduce social media licensing.

As of Aug 1, social media services and internet messaging services with at least eight million registered users in Malaysia must apply for a licence.

MCMC had said the new policy is aimed at creating a safer internet environment for children and families.