MoU just a PH tactic to delay GE15, Puad tells Rafizi

 

Puad Zarkashi (left) reminded Rafizi Ramli that the call for an early election was a decision by Umno and Barisan Nasional and not Najib Razak’s personal call.

PETALING JAYA: Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi has told incoming PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli that the pact between the government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) is just a “delay tactic” ahead of the next general election (GE15).

In a Facebook post, he also said that former prime minister Najib Razak’s calls for GE15 to be hastened were not his personal opinion but that of the delegates at the Umno assembly in March and the Barisan Nasional Convention on Wednesday.

“Actually, Rafizi’s statement is an admission that BN is expected to win GE15.

“The MoU between the government and PH is just a PKR ploy to delay the next general election as long as possible,” said Puad.

“Rafizi and the opposition are afraid of GE15 being held earlier as they are afraid they won’t have enough time to slander us like they did at GE14, which was why BN lost.”

Puad was commenting on a Malaysiakini report in which Rafizi, the former Pandan MP, claimed that Najib is hoping an earlier election can re-install Umno in Putrajaya and push for a royal pardon before Najib’s final appeal in his SRC International corruption case at the Federal Court.

GE15 must be held by September next year after the current Parliament’s full term expires.

Last September, the federal government and PH inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish bipartisan cooperation covering issues such as the battle against Covid-19 and parliamentary reforms.

As part of the MoU, both parties agreed that Parliament will not be dissolved before July 31 this year.

While PH has pushed for the MoU to be extended, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has not been as keen, stating in April that the government would follow the Umno Supreme Council’s stand on the MoU and would not extend it beyond July. - FMT