KUALA LUMPUR – DAP is standing firm on its stance not to allow the four Melaka assemblymen who caused the fall of the state government from contesting in the upcoming state election on a Pakatan Harapan (PH) ticket.
Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng in a statement today said that DAP’s central executive committee unanimously decided to reject all four assemblymen who withdrew support for Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali as Melaka chief minister from contesting under the opposition coalition’s banner.
“PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had publicly stated that two of the four assemblymen from Umno are still being considered.
“Clearly DAP has only been successful in convincing our allies in PH to reject only two out of the four assemblymen as PH candidates in the Melaka elections, whilst two are still being considered,” Guan Eng said.
To maintain the moral high ground, the Bagan MP said PH must distance itself from “kleptocrats, opportunists and crooks”.
Although there have been sentiments stating that PH must tactically join with anyone that can give the coalition victory, DAP contends that the ends do not justify the means.
“Unfortunately, DAP has been previously outvoted within PH by PKR and Amanah, and compelled to abide by the majority decision in the interests of coalition unity.
“However, this does not mean that such a majority decision previously made is correct,” Guan Eng said.
DAP then expressed hope that PH will allow good sense to prevail and not make similar mistakes again by allowing two of the four assemblymen to contest as the coalition’s candidates.
The Melaka election is slated for November 20, after four assemblymen withdrew support against the state’s chief minister.
The four assemblymen are Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu-Independent), Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas-Bersatu), Datuk Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor-Umno) and Datuk Seri Idris Haron (Sg Udang-Umno). – The Vibes, November 2, 2021
