CHINI POLLS | Amanah communications director Khalid Samad said Pakatan Harapan must contest the coming Chini state by-election for the sake of defending the coalition’s principles and to deny Umno an easy win.
He said it was Harapan’s responsibility to spread the message of clean and corrupt-free governance via every poll including through the Chini by-election.
“This state constituency is one where we suffered a terrible defeat during GE14. Even so, it is not finalised if we will compete and the party contesting has yet to be decided.
“However, I feel that out of principle, we should contest so as to deny Umno an easy victory,” he said during a press conference today at his Shah Alam parliamentary service centre.
The Harapan lawmaker’s statement came following Umno’s Veteran’s Club secretary-general Mustapha Yaakub urging the opposition coalition not to contest claiming it would be unable to take on the might of Umno and PAS.
Mustapha said Harapan and PKR would again be “hugely embarrassed” by another defeat, in a repeat of the general election in May 2018 when PKR’s Mohamad Razali Ithnain lost his deposit after only polling 1,065 votes or 6.3 percent of the votes.
BN’s candidate - the recently deceased incumbent Abu Bakar Harun - won the three-cornered fight by obtaining 10,027 votes, defeating the PAS candidate with a majority of 4,622 votes.
The Veteran’s Club also said a walkover would save the country a costly polls during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bernama today quoted PAS vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah as also urging Harapan not to contest the BN stronghold.
Previously PAS’ Rosli Abdul Jabar confirmed the party would not be putting up a candidate, paving the way for BN to represent Perikatan Nasional at the July 4 by-election.
Khalid said Umno and PAS would criticise the former ruling coalition regardless if it decided to contest or not.
“If we do not contest, it will be twisted to say Harapan did not dare contest.
“On principle, this message (to contest) is to create a clean administration free from corruption, what we have been voicing at every by-election,” he said.
The Chini seat became vacant following the death of Abu Bakar, 60. Nominations have been set for June 20 while early voting will be on June 30.
Chini comprises some 21, 251 voters. It is one of four state constituencies under the Pekan parliamentary constituency, the stronghold of former premier Najib Abdul Razak who has been the MP there since 1986.
- Mkini
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