Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) has issued campaign guidelines to all 15 of its candidates contesting the 16th Johor state election following controversy over remarks made by one of its candidates on pig farming.
Bersama leader Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli said the guidelines are intended to prevent similar incidents involving sensitive public statements during the election campaign.
“I came here hoping that something like this will not happen again. It would be difficult for me to answer questions later,” Rafizi said during a campaign event in the Larkin state constituency on Monday.
He said he had circulated detailed guidance to the party’s candidates and campaign speakers on how to deliver their speeches, including what issues should and should not be raised, as well as the key messages the party wants to convey.
“There are things that need to be said and things that do not. We have outlined the messages we want to deliver, and I am thankful that our candidates have been presenting them well,” he said.
The move follows comments made by Bersama’s Perling candidate, Boo Wei Han, who questioned restrictions affecting pig farming in Selangor during a campaign speech on Sunday.
Boo argued that pig farming had existed for decades without causing significant public health problems and questioned the need for the restrictions.
He also expressed sympathy for pig farmers, saying some families had depended on the industry for two or three generations before being told to shut down their operations.
Despite the controversy, Rafizi defended his candidate’s willingness to raise issues affecting the public, even if they may be considered sensitive by certain groups.
He said candidates from larger political parties often choose to avoid discussing contentious issues out of concern that doing so could negatively affect their election campaigns.
