‘Many unhappy that PPBM in opposition fold’

KUALA LUMPUR: Many Malaysians are unhappy that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) is part of Pakatan Harapan (PH), social activist Maryam Lee claims.

Speaking at the #UndiRosak forum on Thursday night, Lee also voiced disagreement with PH over the naming of its chairman, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as its prime ministerial candidate.

“I do not want Dr Mahathir Mohamad to be the next prime minister. I support only Parti Sosialis Malaysia, as it is the only party that has genuinely worked for the people,” she said.

#UndiRosak, or “spoilt vote”, is an online campaign calling on the public to show their unhappiness with election candidates by boycotting PH and Barisan Nasional in the 14th General Election.

Present were Armada information chief Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim and Selangor DAP committee member Edry Faisal. The session was moderated by constitutional lawyer Syahredzan Johan.

Lee said she did not plan to support the campaign initially, but was dissatisfied with PH accepting PPBM into the pact.

She said she was tired of the “politics of worship” she claimed was being practiced by PH.

“Look at Pakatan. Everything is about ( jailed opposition leader Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim. And look at the article I, dictator (by Dr Mahathir), which people claim is satire.

“It is not satire if it is true. We do not want an autocratic political culture. Is this the face of the person you are using for the ‘reformasi’ (movement)? A politician who broke his promises?” she said, referring to Dr Mahathir who was prime minister for 22 years.

She said #UndiRosak was not an attempt to impose a political view on voters, it only asked unhappy voters to teach the opposition pact a lesson.

“We are called narrow-minded and shallow for (running the campaign), but the opposition needs to realise that they do not have a right to our votes. Nobody gets free votes. If you want my vote, then you have to work for it.

“If you do not have the intention of changing this toxic political culture, why should I give the mandate to you?”