PETALING JAYA, Oct 29 – The Melaka state election has been an unfair move right from the start, the dissolvement of the state government should not have taken place in the first place, said Parti Keadilan Rakyat President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The call for election amid the risks posed by Covid-19 was not proper, and now the campaigning process is being staged without any proper consensus from parties involved, Pakatan Harapan leaders said at a press conference here today.
Anwar, DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng and Amanah President Mohamad Sabu, reiterating their protest of the election, said PH will nonetheless follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) that have been put in place for the election campaigning to ensure the safety of the Melaka people.
“Although we are very disappointed with all the rules that have been laid (in the campaigning process), the party leaders have discussed and agreed to follow all the SOPs in place due to the risks involved for the people of Melaka and a possible rise in the number of Covid-19 cases. Although we have stated our protest, we have no choice but to follow the rules,” said Anwar.
Several campaign plans the party had have been also cancelled, he said.
Guan Eng meanwhile said, the people of Melaka should have had the opportunity to hear from their state representatives before making an informed decision during election and that if any rules were to be laid out, they should be consistent and should not have been laid out without consultation with the parties involved.
The rulings cannot be seen to be favouring specific parties, Guan Eng said. He also questioned the neutrality and independence of the EC, and its capacity to hold a fair election.
Nomination for the Melaka election will be on Nov 8 and polling will be on Nov 20.
For the state election, DAP will be contesting 8 seats, Amanah 9 and Keadilan 11.
–WE