Bersatu veep Rafiq quits party, upset over seats allocation

 

Bersatu vice president Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen has decided to quit the party as he was upset over seat distribution for the 15th general election.

Rafiq (above) had eyed the Tangga Batu seat in Malacca but was offered seats which he did not want.

He said while initially promised Tangga Batu, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu instead offered to field him in alternative seats - including Bagan Datuk in Perak.

Bagan Datuk is Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's seat. PKR is sending former vice-president Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin to face the Umno chief.

Rafiq said he was saddened by this offer.

"I feel very sad that all my efforts and service in Tangga Batu for over six years was not given fair and due consideration," he said.

Against party norms

He said it also went against political norms that gave top party leaders priority to contest in the constituencies they lead.

Rafiq said he would not contest the 15th general election as an independent or for any party.

Instead, he would continue serving Tangga Batu through an NGO.

In 2018, Rafiq won the Paya Rumput state seat in Malacca when Bersatu was part of Pakatan Harapan.

Later in the 2021 state election, he contested in Telok Mas but lost to BN.

Following his defeat in the state election, he resigned as the Malacca chief for Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional. - Mkini