MELAKA – Maverick politician Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee, who will defend his Pengkalan Batu seat as an independent in the Melaka election, has not ruled out possibly cooperating with other parties to form the state government at a later stage.
The former DAP man said whichever outfit he joins should be clean and “free from any problem”.
“I want to choose a party that can serve the rakyat. That is my policy and principle,” the told reporters here this morning prior to submitting his nomination for the state polls.
Norhizam is set to face off with four challengers, namely Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Kalsom Nordin, Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Mohd Azrudin Md Idris, Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Muhamad Danish Zainudin and Mohd Aluwi Sari of new political outfit Putra.
Asked if he was upset at not being fielded as a candidate under the PH banner, Norhizam was quick to dismiss this notion.
“Sorry, don’t talk about PH. I’m an independent. I have principles. My principle is that I am an independent, even until now.
“Who said an independent candidate can’t be voted in? Melaka has 28 assemblymen, but how many of them can actually work?
“I ask the rakyat to open their eyes and judge for themselves. Parties and logos are not the solution. It is the wakil rakyat (people’ representative) that voters must pick,” he said.
Melaka is set to head to the polls on November 20. The election was triggered after Norhizam and three other assemblymen withdrew support for then chief minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.
Norhizam had previously contested the 2018 general election under PH, but quit the coalition to join PN following the collapse of the state government earlier last year.
Meanwhile, Norhizam hinted that Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad, one of the four who pulled the plug on the state government last month, could similarly contest as an independent in the ongoing election.
“If I am not mistaken, he will defend his Teluk Mas seat,” he said.
Norhizam said he shares the same principle as Effandi, and would work together in determining their next destination. – The Vibes, November 8, 2021
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