KUALA LUMPUR – Muda will not relinquish the Puteri Wangsa state seat in the upcoming Johor polls, despite demands from fellow opposition party PKR.
Speaking to reporters after the party’s official launch today, president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said: “Muda is a party of its own. We have signed an electoral pact with Amanah and DAP, and we will defend it.”
After signing a strategic partnership agreement with Amanah and DAP earlier this week, Muda announced that it would run in six seats, including Puteri Wangsa.
However, this announcement immediately drew the ire of PKR when Johor Wanita chief Napsiah Khamis Maharan questioned Amanah’s decision to give the seat to Muda.
According to Napsiah, after incumbent Mazlan Bujang defected to Perikatan Nasional in 2018, PKR had done extensive work in the constituency to restore public trust for PH.
On the same day, PKR deputy info chief Manivanan Gowin published an open letter demanding that Muda return the seat to PKR.
Manivanan claimed that PKR grassroots were unhappy with the decision and added that Syed Saddiq ought to consider giving the seat back to PKR if he was “in this fight honestly and sincerely”.
Earlier today, Napsiah issued an ultimatum to Muda, giving the nascent party until Sunday to accept the three seats offered by PKR.
Seat distributions between the two political outfits in the past week have been met with challenges, with both PKR and Muda leaving little wiggle room for negotiation.
On Wednesday, Johor PKR chief Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said the party has already offered three seats to Muda, but the latter claimed PKR has yet to finalise its offer. – The Vibes, February 11, 2022
