KUALA KUBU BAHARU – MCA’s boycott of the by-election campaign here will not help anyone, Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said.
MCA is also not helping itself by refusing to help the unity government’s candidate, Amirudin, who is also the state menteri besar, added.
“Boycotting doesn’t benefit anyone, including those who do it. It’s not a wise move as it will cause an impact on representatives in the state legislative assembly and their service centres,” he told reporters on the grounds of the nomination centre, here today.
“It will have no benefit, if really implemented, but nevertheless, I will work hard to ensure that our campaign goes well.”
The two weeks before polling on May 11 will see PH parties and its unity government ally Barisan Nasional (BN) campaigning without MCA’s help, if the BN component party keeps to its word of not wanting to help in the polls after a DAP candidate was selected.
MCA’s decision follows the party’s anger at remarks made by DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke in a recent podcast interview in which he allegedly insulted the party.
DAP-PH is fielding Pang Sock Tao, 31, the press secretary to Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming.
The Kuala Kubu Baharu seat used to be an MCA stronghold when BN and PH were rivals, before it was seized by DAP in 2013.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier today said that he is still hopeful MCA will help the unity government’s machinery.
He said there was no ultimatum or set period for the BN Chinese component party, but understood that it needed to let its “sorrow subside”.
The two other candidates are Hafizah Zainuddin from Parti Rakyat Malaysia and independent Nyau Ke Xin.
40,266 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the seat which is around 50% Malay, 30% Chinese, 18% Indian, with Orang Asli as the remainder. – April 27, 2024