Muda not a proxy for Dr M, says a party leader

 

Muda deputy president Amira Aisya says the party’s members respected people of all religions and ethnic backgrounds.

PETALING JAYA: Muda is not a proxy for Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his Pejuang party, as there are fundamental differences between the two, Muda deputy president Amira Aisya said today.

In an online posting, she dealt with doubts within opposition ranks about her youth-based party’s application to join Pakatan Harapan.

She said that if Muda was not sincere, it would have been better for the party to have joined the government side, going by the “various offers” that had been made to party president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

“Why bother fighting the government, going in and out of the police station, going up and down the courts if what I do as a young leader is not sincere for the country?,” she said.

“You can’t associate Muda with Tun Mahathir and Pejuang either. Muda is not their agent or proxy. We disagree on many basic things.”

She said the younger generation wanted to respect people of all religions and ethnic backgrounds. “Muda was formed by a group of young people who want Malaysia to move forward.

“After the disappointment with the Sheraton Move, my friends and I thought it would be better for us to form a political party with clean politicians sincere about governing the country,” she said, in a reference to the formation the Perikatan Nasional government last year through defections from Pakatan Harapan.

Amira was elected to the Johor state assembly in the Puteri Wangsa seat at the state elections last year.

She said she understood the doubt that members of PH component parties held regarding Muda’s record of working with PH. Muda had fielded a candidate in Larkin, which was also contested by PH.

Amira said the Muda leadership were ready to resolve every issue that arose. “It’s normal when building a coalition – there must be many questions. Muda leaders are ready to hold an official meeting with PH so that we can resolve everything together,” she said.

PKR members have been loudest in expressing their doubts about Muda’s membership of the opposition coalition.

PKR deputy information chief Razeef Rakimin had said last week that Muda should end cooperation with Sabah-based Warisan which was longer friendly to PH.

Muda should not hang on to political links “here and there”, and said the party had not severed its ties with Mahathir’s Pejuang.

Selangor PKR information chief Halimey Abu Bakar, said Muda should also state its stance regarding the all-Malay Gerak Tanah Air movement supported by Mahathir. - FMT