[UPDATED] Muda open to contesting in GE15 under Warisan

KOTA KINABALU – Muda has welcomed Warisan’s offer to use the party as a ticket to enter the polls.

Muda vice-president Shahrizal Denci in a reaction to the offer made by Warisan chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the matter is now being considered positively in the view of a united opposition.

“We have taken note of Warisan’s offer. The matter is being discussed and so far nothing is finalised. We are always in the spirit of the united opposition,” he told The Vibes today.

The yet-to-be registered Muda is led by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

In a dialogue with several senior editors yesterday Shafie said he had offered Muda the use of Warisan as a ticket to contest in the forthcoming 15th general election (GE15).

On January 6, the Registrar of Societies (RoS) had refused to register Muda as a political party seven days after a court ruling.

Syed Saddiq and 12 others filed their bid for leave for a judicial review to seek an order to cancel the RoS decision not to register Muda as a party, naming RoS and the home minister as the first and second respondents respectively.

Aiming for zero kleptocrats

Meanwhile, Muda pro-tem vice-president Lim Wei Jiet told The Vibes that it is preliminary to make any decisions as the parties are still in discussion.

“There is nothing set in stone yet on political cooperation. What Shafie did was to very kindly extend an offer to us to contest under Warisan’s logo in GE15, if the party has not yet been registered by then. We are thankful for this.

“But at this stage, it is still early to make any decisions and the parties are keenly in discussions.”

Lim, who is also Muda’s lawyer, said his youth-centric political movement is open to discussions with other opposition parties that are aligned with its goals.

“The aim is to ensure that the outcome of GE15 would not result in the return of kleptocrats, and one which is able to bring Malaysia forward.”

On the possibility of Muda fielding its members as independent candidates or potentially contesting under another party’s flag in the upcoming Melaka polls, Lim refused to divulge details, saying his party is still in the middle of deliberations.

On Monday, the Election Commission (EC) set November 20 as the polling day for Melaka and November 8 for nomination, giving parties 12 days to campaign.

EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh said early voters can cast their ballots on November 16. – The Vibes, October 21, 2021

Additional reporting by Isabelle Leong