KUALA LUMPUR – Independent candidate Tawfik Ismail, who recently stated his intention to contest in the Umno stronghold of Bagan Datuk, said there has been favourable response from Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) second-tier leaders to his request to run under the coalition’s banner.
However, he said he is still waiting for an official answer from PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and others in the coalition’s top leadership, acknowledging they will have the final say on the matter.
Tawfik, who is Gerak Independent (GI) co-founder, told The Vibes that a member of his team had recently met PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, as well as vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar and incumbent Subang MP Wong Chen, to discuss the proposal.
“There was some feedback from them through this person (from my side). They are trying to get me to meet up with the PH top leaders,” he told The Vibes today.
“I have also already met with some DAP leaders, who are responsive to my request. Now, it is up to PH as a whole to decide whether to allow me to use the PH logo.
“I’m still waiting feedback from Anwar’s side, because he is the chairman of the coalition. So, I need to hear from him, himself,” Tawfik added.
Yesterday, Tawfik said he had met some senior PH leaders to convey his request to contest in Bagan Datuk on the coalition’s ticket, as this would give him a better chance of unseating its incumbent, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The proposal received the backing of DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, who today urged PH to “give a proper and positive response” to the idea.
Tawfik first declared his interest in taking on Zahid in Bagan Datuk two weeks ago, saying he decided to beard the lion in his den to show Malay voters that there are alternative Malay leaders who are more progressive than what Umno and PAS have to offer.
The former Umno lawmaker and son of Malaysia’s second deputy prime minister, the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, said beating Zahid remained his goal, as the Umno president cannot be allowed to represent Malays because of his multiple corruption charges.
PH, however, is reportedly going to place PKR’s Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin in Bagan Datuk, after he offered himself to be a “giant killer” in Bagan Datuk.
Shamsul, who defeated then Melaka chief minister Tun Mohd Ali Rustam in Bukit Katil in the 2013 election, had told The Vibes he is willing to give up his current Hang Tuah Jaya safe seat for Bagan Datuk.
Asked to comment on this, Tawfik said it will ultimately be up to the PH top leaders to decide between him and Shamsul, and who had a better chance of unseating Zahid.
“I think everybody has a right to go where they want to go. But it is up to the leadership to decide the best choice to defeat Zahid.”
On how his GI movement has reacted to his plan to contest under the PH banner, Tawfik said his colleagues have no issue with the proposal as every GI member is independent of each other.
“GI isn’t a formal organisation. We make our own decisions on how to conduct the election,” he said, adding that it is also up to the other GI candidates to decide if they similarly wish to strike an electoral agreement with PH.
“A party is a vehicle like a Proton or a BMW you ride to a destination.
“What’s important is who is the passenger and driver. You can also go solo on a bike or ride with others,” he said. – The Vibes, October 24, 2022
