JOHOR BARU – Former Larkin assemblyman Datuk Mohd Izhar Ahmad, who left Bersatu last year, has joined Pakatan Harapan (PH) component Amanah while lambasting his former coalition over attempts to “overthrow the government”.
“You (Perikatan Nasional), in opposing the government, should not betray the people’s mandate (following the 2022 general election). If you want to fight, wait until the next general election, because that is the platform to prove that your coalition can win.
“The opposition should not be threatening to overthrow the government. This is not acceptable. PH-Barisan Nasional (BN) is a multi-cultural alliance. So, I want to do my part to keep the unity government stable until the end of the current term.”
His membership form was handed to Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and the party’s Johor chief Aminolhuda Hassan in a simple ceremony during the mega ceramah here last night.
It was also witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
Izhar said more Bersatu grassroots in Johor Baru will leave the party, in addition to the 200 that followed him.
“I predict there will be more leaving Bersatu after realising that the prime minister is doing his best to aid the country’s recovery,” he told Scoop here.
He added that there were a lot of negotiations with different parties, but he went with Amanah as the party is close to the community and there are hardly any controversies or internal conflicts.
Izhar, who is former Johor Investment, Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives and Human Resources Committee chairman, said he was wooed to join Amanah just before the November general election and was offered candidacy for the Kota Tinggi parliamentary seat.
“I rejected it at the time. I didn’t want the public to perceive me as a party-hopper who craves positions. So, I joined Amanah after PH picked its candidate for the Pulai by-election.”
Earlier, PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin described voting for PH candidate for Pulai, Suhaizan Kayat to be a religious sin, claiming it is a “fatwa”.
Last night, former Bukit Pasir assemblyman Najib Lep of PAS also did the same and announced his participation in Amanah at a ceramah in Sg Abong, Muar.
Last Friday, Aminolhuda, in a statement, said two former leaders of PAS and Bersatu, along with more than 200 members of the two parties, would join Amanah in separate programmes. – September 4, 2023