KUALA LUMPUR – There are mixed reactions among Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders over which logo to use in the upcoming Johor election and this sentiment is shared by members in the state.
Former Perling assemblyman Cheo Yee How expressed hope that he will be able to contest the seat he won in 2018, but he will await the decision concerning candidacies from his party, DAP.
In the meantime, if he does end up contesting for the upcoming state polls, he would most likely end up contesting using the PH logo, while his colleagues in PKR contesting in other areas of Johor would use their own party logo.
When asked about his views concerning the coalition’s decisions on logos, Cheo hoped all component parties could contest under one single logo.
“Personally, there is a voice saying it is not a good decision.
“In my personal view, we should contest using the same logo.
“Since the decision was made by the party, we will wait and see how it goes,” Cheo said when contacted.
However, Cheo also points out that there will be other factors that must be considered that can influence the election.
“One thing to consider is that voters these days have different expectations.
“There’s also Covid-19 to consider which could discourage voters staying in other states from coming back to vote,” Cheo said.
Meanwhile, Johor PKR committee member Gerald Tang shared a different view assuring that his party’s choice to use their own logo is not at all an indicator of disunity in PH.
Instead, for Tang, the coalition is merely trying a new strategy.
“I think it is a good thing to try out PKR and PH’s logos simultaneously.
“It’s not disunity, because the component parties have discussed the matter together and we agreed to try a new strategy which allows people to decide which way forward is better,” Tang told The Vibes.
As to whether this new strategy would shake the foundations of PH, Tang answered in the negative.
He says PH is merely testing out alternatives to gauge what the people prefer.
From Amanah, party deputy president and former Simpang Jeram assemblyman Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub mentioned that the coalition has already decided on the matter and it is time to move forward.
These discussions over an issue he considers as “water under the bridge” distracts from PH’s main goal to win back power in Johor.
“After a few PH presidential council meetings, we have made a decision and it is time to move on.
“PKR wants to use their own logo and we (Amanah and DAP) will use PH’s logo.
“Perhaps Muda may want to join us using the PH logo,” Salahuddin said.
On January 26, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that PKR would use its own logo to contest the Johor polls, while partners DAP and Amanah would continue to use the PH logo.
In a statement yesterday, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Muhamad Sabu declared their respect towards PKR’s decision to use their own logo but expressed the desire for all component parties to unite under one banner.
Muhammad also announced that PKR and Amanah were allocated 20 seats each in Johor, while DAP gets 16. – The Vibes, January 29, 2022
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