Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (centre) hits the campaign trail in Cameron Highlands January 25, 2019. — Picture by Farhan Najib

LIPIS, Jan 25 ― Making clear that he is not promising anything, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad asked the thousands who turned up in Cameron Highlands to see him today to vote for Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the by-election tomorrow as the coalition now controls Putrajaya.

On the stump for PH candidate M. Manogaran, the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman said the four-party coalition has the power to help the locals even if Barisan Nasional (BN) still runs the Pahang government.

“Don’t cast your votes to Barisan Nasional. The coalition is no more and same with Umno. What is the point of voting for them?

“Yes, Pahang is still under BN, but it can’t do anything. The power lies with the federal government. I’m not promising anything, but just informing that it has limited power and can’t do anything with that,” he said in a speech before a gathering at Dataran Sungai Koyan near the Masjid Al Muhajirin.

Thousands of Cameron Highlands residents, including the Orang Asli, had turned up dressed in red T-shirts featuring the PH logo.

Among other PH leaders present were DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is also the finance minister, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu who is also defence minister and the PH Cameron Highlands candidate, lawyer Manogaran.

Dr Mahathir, who is back as prime minister a second time, also said that the present BN is no longer the same as the coalition he once led between 1981 and 2003.

“When I was there, I didn’t steal people’s money. Therefore, BN never lost in any of the general election before. The coalition was concerned on helping the people and developing the country.

“However, after I left the party is no longer the same. The former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is not concerned about the people and only want to make money. When I met him, he said to me that ‘cash is king’, that he believed that he can buy people and votes by using money,” he said.

“However, what happened in the previous general election? BN lost for the first time in 61 years because of him. And Umno also threw him out because he is a kleptocrat,” the 93-year-old said.

Dr Mahathir urged voters to support PH for better development and the good of the people here.

“Our fate is on our own hands. If we vote wrongly then we will become victims. If we vote for PH then we will have a better future,” he said.