Perikatan Nasional (PN) has accused Pakatan Harapan (PH) of running out of campaign ideas in the Melaka state election, claiming the coalition is relying heavily on the issue of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s house arrest to attack its rivals.
PN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the criticism was aimed particularly at PAS, which had been portrayed as seemingly endorsing corruption and wrongdoing.
He argued that PAS should not be blamed for the decision, as the party had no representative on the Pardons Board responsible for the matter.
“We were not even part of the Pardons Board. The person on the board was the Federal Territories Minister from DAP, wasn’t that so?” he said.
Tuan Ibrahim was speaking at the BN-PN grand finale campaign rally for the 16th Melaka state election at Dewan Muallim Abdul Wahid in Bukit Katil on Thursday.
He also stressed that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had not freed Najib, but had instead allowed him to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.
He said PN’s political cooperation with Barisan Nasional (BN) did not mean the coalition had to abandon its principles on issues involving corruption, wrongdoing and hostility.
“Let me be clear: regardless of the circumstances, even when we work together, we have principles that we uphold.
“Help one another in matters of goodness and devotion to Allah. We must not cooperate in matters of hostility or sin,” he said.
The PAS deputy president also questioned DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke’s decision to resign as Transport Minister while other Cabinet members remained in their positions.
Tuan Ibrahim challenged all DAP ministers to follow Loke’s example if the party was genuinely standing by its principles.
“If DAP and Anthony resigned because of their principles, we challenge all Cabinet members to resign as well.
“It should not be just the secretary-general. The Federal Territories Minister must resign too, along with the entire Cabinet,” he said.
He argued that the government would not collapse even if all DAP ministers stepped down, as they could still support Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership.
However, Tuan Ibrahim suggested that Loke could eventually return to the Cabinet after the state election.
“Actually, in a day or two, this drama will be replayed after the election.
“Anthony may possibly rejoin the Cabinet,” he said.
He added that PN wanted the Melaka election to serve as a public referendum against PH.
“We must prove that this Melaka state election is a people’s referendum to reject PH.
“The Blue Wave in Melaka will become a catalyst for a major victory in the 16th General Election,” he said.
