THE Pakatan Harapan presidential council announced that Pengkalan Batu assemblyperson Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee will not be their candidate in the upcoming Melaka state election.
“As for the other three, the council has received feedback from many quarters and we stress that the people’s interest come above all else. Therefore, we have not decided anything on their candidacy in this meeting,” it said, in a statement.
Since yesterday, PKR has been criticised by various quarters for seemingly being warm towards the Melaka quartet, who overthrew the UMNO-led state leadership.
The four leaders who dislodged the state government are Sungai Udang state assemblyperson Datuk Seri Idris Haron (UMNO), Pantai Kundur assemblyperson Datuk Nor Azman Hassan (UMNO), Telok Mas assemblyperson Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu) and Norhizam.
PKR vice president Tian Chua said yesterday that Pakatan should be open to working with anyone who will be able to help them win the state polls.
“Tactically, we must join with anyone that can give Pakatan victory. It is a tactic we must consider by any means to win the most seats,” the former Batu MP was reported saying.
Adly Zahari to lead Melaka’s “team Pakatan”
However, Tian Chua’s comments received brickbats from PKR’s youth wing and Otai Reformasi, who urged the senior leader to adopt value-based political struggles rather than embracing “the end justify the means” concept.
On that note, Pakatan leaders decided that former Melaka chief minister Adly Zahari would be leading the coalition’s machinery in the upcoming state polls.
“We have also sent a representative to meet the Election Commission (EC) to get clear guidelines on the standard operating procedure (SOP) for polls, given that we are under Phase 4 of the National Recovery Plan,” it remarked. – Oct 21, 2021.
