Don’t elect potential party-hoppers, Azalina tells Sabahans

The law and institutional reform minister reminds voters to choose wisely given the high number of parties in the running this Saturday.

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said any state government formed after the polls must maintain strong relations and close cooperation with the federal government.

PETALING JAYA:

 The high number of parties contesting in the Sabah polls makes it important for voters to choose candidates that truly represent them and will not hop parties, says law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said.

She said every candidate must serve the people in line with the spirit of the Anti-Party Hopping Act.

“The people must know that their elected representatives will start working the day after they are elected.

“If voters choose those with potential to jump parties, or who only appear during election season, that (will make things) difficult for the people,” Bernama reported Azalina, who is also Umno information chief, as saying in Tuaran.

Azalina said any state government formed after the polls must maintain strong relations and close cooperation with the federal government.

“No state government can operate solo. Even opposition-led states still attend the menteris besar and chief ministers’ meetings every month.

“So even if many parties are campaigning on the ideal of ‘Sabah for Sabahans’, they still cannot escape Sabah’s relationship with the federal government,” she said. - FMT