Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng is pictured in Parliament October 7, 2019. The DAP secretary-general urged Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu to clarify his statement about DAP. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today urged Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu to clarify his “fighting a ‘lone battle’ against DAP” statement.

Malaysiakini reported Lim as saying Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders should refrain from making such statements which encourages a false narrative about the ruling coalition.

“Firstly, I think what appears to be said is difficult to accept because it is untrue and unfounded. Such a baseless statement would really shake Pakatan Harapan.

“That is why I hope that as Perak Mentri Besar he should make an effort to clarify what he really meant,” Lim told reporters this morning at the opening ceremony of phase three of the Escape Theme Park in Penang.

In a video which made its rounds on social media yesterday Ahmad Faizal had said that he is waging a desperate battle alone to protect Malay interests and Islam.

“In Perak, I am fighting a desperate battle alone against ‘puak-puak’ (factions) DAP. I want to defend the land of the Malays. I want to champion our religion,” he had told a group of people during an informal discussion.

When confronted about the video, Ahmad Faizal claimed it was a misrepresentation, and denied the existence of a rift with DAP.

“I have been saying that I have gone through a lot in Perak and there are DAP leaders who run me down,” he said.

Based on these remarks, Lim viewed that Ahmad Faizal needed to be more clear about what he intended to say.

“If this is not true, I think the explanation must be given so that we do not give an inaccurate picture because that will benefit the narrative of the opposition.

“The (Umno/PAS/BN) opposition has a false narrative where in front of the Malays, they say the PH government is a horse ridden by DAP, but in front of the Chinese they say Lim Guan Eng and DAP are puppets of Mahathir.

“That is why this is hard to accept, especially coming from a friend. We shouldn’t have a friend acting like an opponent,” said Lim.

He said Ahmad Faizal should take steps to clarify what he said so that it will not affect stability and unity, especially in the Perak state government.

“If what was said was edited for a specific purpose, then it would be best for him to provide an explanation,” said Lim.

Lim added that he regularly met with the Perak Mentri Besar and the latter was always open and never complained about the issues brought up in the video.

“Let’s not get caught up in this false narrative,” he said.