KUALA LUMPUR – Youth-based party Muda has revealed its plan to independently contest in the upcoming elections across six states.
During a press conference, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman firmly rejected the notion that Muda’s participation would divide votes for the government, emphasising the need to put an end to “fear-mongering politics”.
“We must refrain from employing fear-based tactics to justify complacency and arrogance,” he said, as quoted by FMT.
Muda’s decision implies that the party will compete directly against Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional, despite being part of the government coalition.
Last week, Muda communications chief Luqman Long told The Vibes that PH has been giving his party the cold shoulder since they made their intention to join PH known.
The party also suggested that they might be going their own way for the state elections and that they, not PH, would personally announce any matter pertaining to their participation in the polls.
The comments come in the light of Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Amirudin Shari’s comments that Muda’s cooperation with the coalition during the upcoming state polls would be decided by PH.
Amirudin, who is Selangor PH chairman and also PKR vice-president, had said that Muda’s participation in the upcoming Selangor polls under PH remains uncertain, and it is up to PH leaders to decide on the matter.
He added that it was determined during a PKR meeting that the final say on the youth-based party’s participation in the state election would be left to the PH presidential council.
“(Whether or not Muda is featured in the polls) will be decided by PH, with the understanding that Muda was PH’s partner for the 15th general elections,” he told a press conference yesterday.
However, Muda retorted that Amirudin’s statement was “false, untrue and the personal perception of the Selangor menteri besar himself”.
Syed Saddiq had said that unofficial discussions on cooperation with PH had taken place since the Johor election in March 2020.
“Informal discussions have been conducted with opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, (DAP secretary-general) Anthony Loke, as well as Amanah president (Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu),” Syed Saddiq had said.
The Selangor polls are expected to be held in August following the Selangor sultan’s consent to the dissolution of the state assembly on June 23 yesterday morning.
Amirudin also said that seat allocation discussions between PH and Barisan Nasional have been completed, with a matter of some unfinalised seats in Selangor and other states still pending.
He said that any room for Muda to contest in Selangor under PH may only be for two out of 56 state seats, which are still left undecided.
Selangor is among six states slated to hold elections this year. The others are Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Negri Sembilan. – The Vibes, June 26, 2023
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