Bersatu leader says will let voters decide Rina's fate after candidacy clash

 

STATE POLLS | Bersatu supreme council member Muhammad Faiz Na’aman today said he respected the explanation of Perikatan Nasional (PN) women’s chief Rina Harun over her candidacy in N41 Batu Tiga.

However, Faiz (above, right) said he will leave it to the voters to decide on Rina's sincerity, come polling day on Aug 12.

“I respect her narrative. But I leave it to others to decide the sincerity of her words, particularly voters in Batu Tiga,” he told Malaysiakini.

Faiz previously voiced dissatisfaction over the party choosing those “rejected” in the 15th general election to contest in the upcoming state polls.

Rina had said while she chose to take a break after her GE15 loss in Sepang, she was instructed by PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin to contest the Batu Tiga state seat based on her position in Bersatu and PN.

“I realise that there are mixed views from the public, with some agreeing and others disagreeing. But this is the strategy chosen by the political movers who know better what is best for the party and the people.

“Therefore I agree to abide by the instruction from PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin and Bersatu's supreme council,” she said.

According to Faiz, he had personally raised the issue of rejected candidates with Muhyiddin, as well as in party meetings, but was told the candidates’ pick was final.

“The problem happened in the Malacca and Johor state elections, where we lost out in picking the ‘right’ candidates. Data presented in the meeting showed they had support while post-mortem proved otherwise. I see this issue repeating (for the state polls),” Faiz (above) told Utusan Malaysia last night.

He cited Rina as being among the “undeserving” candidates, alongside Azmin Ali, who is contesting in Hulu Kelang, Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif (Bukit Antarabangsa), and Dr Afif Bahardin (Taman Medan).

In GE15, Rina lost in an eight-cornered contest to Aiman Athirah Sabu who successfully defended the Sepang parliamentary seat for Pakatan Harapan by 8,949 votes. - Mkini