KUALA LUMPUR – The “casual flirtation” of the Melaka Four with Pakatan Harapan have ignited a backlash from members of its coalition parties, with calls to soundly reject the quartet from using the opposition banner.
PKR’s Selayang MP William Leong said the Melaka Four should run as independents so they can be either vindicated or condemned by their voters.
“If PH/PKR allow these four assemblymen to contest under its ticket, there will be a tremendous negative fallout from voters. PH/PKR will stand condemned for conspiring, abetting and soliciting with traitors. They will lose all the moral authority to speak out against the betrayal of the peoples’ mandate, the evils of defection and the sincerity of enacting anti-hopping laws in the memorandum of understanding.
“Second, the PH/PKR political brand will be tarnished beyond repair. These four assemblymen come from parties that support racial politics and the ideology of upholding Malay supremacy. This means the coalition is no more than a political opportunist looking for office, the perks and power that come with it and not looking to implement change.
“In working with defectors, PH/PKR does not respect the sanctity of the voters’ mandate nor the value of political stability or the proper functioning of parliamentary democracy. That PH/PKR cares more about office and power than reform and the people’s welfare,” he said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, DAP veteran and Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang said PH must defend its moral high ground in rejecting the Melaka Four.
“The Melaka election of November 20 has many significance and implications – one of which must be to restore and raise the moral tone of Malaysian politics.
“I am of the view that the other three former assemblymen who constituted ‘the immoral Melaka quartet’ who caused the state polls should not become PH candidates.
“It has been said that to achieve victory in Melaka, we must tactically join with anyone that can give PH victory.
“If given the choice of victory by teaming with kleptocrats, opportunists and crooks or defeat by being consistent with political principles and integrity, I will opt for the latter,” he said in a statement today.
Yesterday, PH’s presidential council decided not to field Pengkalan Batu incumbent Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee in next month’s Melaka polls.
“It should be emphasised that the people’s interests are more important than those of individuals,” it said in a statement.
On the status of Umno’s former Melaka chief minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron, Norhizam, Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas) and Datuk Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor) in contesting under PH, the council said the matter was not discussed.
“Since they (the four politicians) are not members of any PH parties, the question of their candidacies in the election was not raised during this meeting.
“However, the presidential council also decided that Norhizam will not be a PH candidate in Melaka.”
Previously, Anwar said the four Melaka reps had yet to formally apply to join PH.
He added that the four assemblymen were invited to a PH event on Monday night to show gratitude for bringing change in Melaka, but this did not mean that they are PH’s picks for the polls.
On Monday, the Election Commission set November 20 as polling day and November 8 for nomination, giving parties 12 days to campaign. – The Vibes, October 22, 2021
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