KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has hinted that Pakatan Harapan (PH) parties – PKR and Amanah – might take in two of the four former Melaka assemblymen whose actions triggered the Melaka election.
However, the PKR president said this has yet to be finalised, and both PKR and Amanah are expected to announce tomorrow morning their candidate line-ups for the state election, reported the Malay Mail.
In an online video-conferencing session held tonight, Anwar sought to pre-emptively explain the possible acceptance of “one or two” Melaka assemblymen formerly from Umno.
Anwar claimed that the four former Melaka assemblymen had returned the mandate to PH by pulling their support from the state government, resulting in the state assembly’s dissolution.
However, he acknowledged that there will be those who disagree with such a view.
Anwar claimed that there is no issue of politicians jumping from one political party to another since the Melaka assembly had been dissolved.
“The state assembly has been dissolved, the issue of party-hopping, anti-party hopping does not arise.
“They are state assemblymen no more, they now need a new mandate. So, it is up to the party to accept or not,” he said.
He said in terms of Malay support, Umno claims to have the support of more than three million people and PAS, more than one million, while suggesting that the acceptance of the former state assemblymen would be conditional on them accepting the policies and diversity of opposition parties.
“As far as I understand, PKR and Amanah will choose one (each), although this will be finalised late tonight. God willing, tomorrow morning we will announce (it),” he said.
Earlier today, DAP – PKR and Amanah’s fellow ally in the PH coalition – had announced its candidates for the Melaka election.
DAP had on November 2 urged its allies to reconsider the possible fielding of two former Umno state assemblymen as PH candidates in the Melaka polls, suggesting that such a move would be a mistake as PH would lose the moral high ground.
The Election Commission has set November 20 as polling day for the Melaka election, with nomination day on November 8 and early polling on November 16. – The Vibes, November 5, 2021
