Tian Chua said Zahid was instrumental in the formation of the unity government, which eventually saw Barisan Nasional agreeing to work with Pakatan Harapan, as other coalitions and parties later followed suit.
He pointed out that there was strong opposition from within BN towards working with PH, but Zahid remained firm in his stand.
“PH and BN leaders have to build trust and confidence in each other,” he said in a statement today. “Undeniably, there is still scepticism within BN, especially Umno. But Zahid has demonstrated his ability to consolidate BN into a unified stand to cooperate with PH.
“Zahid’s experience in government is a plus (point) and he could complement the largely inexperienced PH ministers. He could also mediate between PH and the civil service as well as the conservative segments of the government.
“Zahid could also be useful in linking up other component parties in the grand coalition, such as Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.”
Tian Chua, a former Batu MP, said excluding Zahid and the “court cluster” from the Cabinet would merely be a “superficial public relations exercise” and would not automatically mean a cleaner government.
He said the previous administration did not have ministers or deputy ministers with court cases, yet allegations of direct negotiations and favouritism in procurement remained an issue.
He maintained that Zahid’s inclusion in the Cabinet should not mean immunity from prosecution. “Trial proceedings should continue and Zahid must prove his innocence in court.”
Tian Chua also said that if BN were to nominate Zahid for a Cabinet post, it was not up to PH to reject, describing this as part of the principles of cooperation and collective responsibility.
“If we want to be serious about (weeding out) corruption, we need genuine reforms to systematically overhaul our governing institutions.
“To undertake comprehensive reforms, we need a strong and effective government. Fortunately, PH enjoyed a good start. However, it cannot afford a divergence with BN at this early stage. Cooperation between Anwar and Zahid is absolutely crucial.”
Yesterday, Anwar told reporters he would “take all views into consideration”, when asked about calls for MPs with court cases to be excluded from the Cabinet.
The PH chairman pointed out that under the law, one was innocent until proven guilty.
NGOs and leaders like former minister Rafidah Aziz have urged Anwar not to pick politicians facing trial as ministers, saying it would tarnish the country’s image.