Skudai assemblyperson Marina Ibrahim has defended her approach to politics, rejecting claims she had switched allegiance or been "bought over" because of her willingness to work with the Johor government.
In a lengthy social media post, the DAP elected representative said her decisions were guided by discussions with her team and a commitment to resolving constituents' problems rather than engaging in constant political confrontation.
"Some people asked, 'Did you jump parties?' or 'Were you bought over?' No," she said.
Marina (above, left) said critics had formed negative perceptions of her because she was not vocal in attacking political opponents.
However, she argued that politics should be about solving problems rather than scoring political points.
"Politics is not about how effectively you attack others. It is about solving problems on the ground," she said.
Earlier today, the New Straits Times quoted Marina as declining to confirm the authenticity of a May 30 letter purportedly sent to Johor DAP chairperson Teo Nie Ching, before announcing her intention to retire from active politics ahead of the next election.
The letter purportedly showed Marina rejecting an offer to leave Skudai and contest the Tiram state seat, as well as a proposal that she be appointed to a government-linked entity should she lose.
Negotiation over confrontation
Citing Sun Tzu's “The Art of War”, Marina said the best outcomes were often achieved through cooperation and negotiation rather than conflict.
The DAP lawmaker does not believe the opposition should oppose every government initiative for political reasons.
"To me, when something benefits the people in my constituency, it is our responsibility to support it if it is good.
"But not to support blindly. More importantly, when there are weaknesses, we point them out and offer solutions," she added.
Marina said she regularly raised issues through state assembly debates, meetings and direct engagement with government officials.
She also stressed that being outside the state government did not mean every issue had to be addressed through confrontation.
"Many public problems can be solved through good working relationships, mature negotiations and the ability to build bridges between different parties," she said.
People first
According to Marina, residents were more concerned with resolving longstanding local issues than political disputes.
"Politics has its time, especially during elections. But helping people cannot wait for election season," she said.
The assemblyperson added that a politician's effectiveness should be measured by the number of problems solved rather than the number of conflicts created.
"You can call me weak or soft if you want. It doesn't matter.
"But to me, this is not a sign of weakness. It is a form of strategic diplomacy that allows more to be achieved for my constituency," she said.
Leading up to the Johor election, state mentri besar and Johor BN chief Onn Hafiz Ghazi declared that the coalition will contest all 56 seats against Harapan and others.
In response, Harapan said it would also contest all state seats. - Mkini
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