KUALA LUMPUR – The attempt by Gerak Independent (GI) candidates to wrest several federal seats from Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the 15th general election (GE15) has ruffled feathers in the opposition bloc.
Speaking to The Vibes, PKR information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said that while he welcomes anyone to contest in whichever seat they see fit, the motives and expectations of the movement should be questioned.
“Instead of trying to ‘shake up’ PH seats, the independent candidates should have gone for Barisan Nasional (BN) strongholds.
“I presume that they (GI) are not fans of BN, so why are they disturbing PH seats instead of targeting BN areas such as Pekan and Bagan Datuk?
“Are they really independent? This decision of theirs can only be perceived as them working in cohorts with BN,” he alleged, adding that if the candidates targeted suburban and rural areas, it would make them “more relevant” should they win.
Shamsul, who is Hang Tuah Jaya MP, said that, as per PH’s “big tent” or united front approach, he will be open to collaborating with other groups or parties that share the reform agenda.
However, he said such alliances will have a higher chance of happening if GI focuses on BN seats in rural and suburban areas.
Similarly, Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming told The Vibes that if GI candidates are truly serious about bringing change to the nation, they should have considered contesting against Umno instead of taking aim at PH seats.
He suggested Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (Kinabatangan) and Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (Pasir Salak) as examples of election targets that GI should channel its energy against.
Nga, who is Teluk Intan MP, also expressed a common critique towards independent candidates who run for opposition-held seats.
“To stand in seats already won by PH will only split the votes and further help BN to recapture power.”
Chiming in, Johor PKR deputy chairman Jimmy Puah said while under a democratic electoral system, GI candidates have the right to contest in any seat, he is sceptical of the reasons behind their call to contest in PH-won seats and not those held by BN or others.
“I certainly do not agree with their claims that they had targeted our seats because the seats are in underperforming areas.”
He was also quick to refute GI’s accusation of party members allowing themselves to be dictated by their superiors, saying, “It is not that we only listen to our bosses, but rather we adhere with our party stand and principles.
“After all, the reason I joined PKR is because I believe in its struggle and ideology.”
Activists such as lawyer Siti Kasim, Mohd Tawfik Ismail and KJ John are among the 10 names under the GI movement set to contest in GE15, as announced during a press conference on February 17.
PH seats the candidates are gunning for include Batu, Petaling Jaya, Wangsa Maju, Subang, and Kota Kinabalu.
Denying that candidates had intentionally targeted seats currently occupied by PH, Siti Kasim said the seats had been chosen because they were in “low performance” areas.
“The seats we are going for are the ones where our MPs are not performing the duties they are supposed to, such as failing to push for legislation that will make the nation better,” she said.
Yesterday, lawyer Charles Chow decided to leave GI and withdraw from running in GE15, after differences emerged over the group’s methods.
GI member Mohd Tawfik Ismail later said it was ‘just as well he felt his own inadequacy in facing the challenges of politics’.
“If you can’t take the heat, best stay out of the kitchen. We will soldier on without him and wish him the best in his other endeavours,” Tawfik said. – The Vibes, February 22, 2022
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