‘NO GOVT MACHINERY FOR CAMPAIGN’
Move to ensure polls are clean, says Anwar
NO government machinery will be deployed or used in PKR’s campaign for the Port Dickson byelection. Anwar Ibrahim, who will contest the seat, vowed to head into the polls “clean”.
He said this was despite several PKR leaders, including Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, holding posts in the government.
“I made it clear that I do not want any government facility or machinery to be used during the election.
“This is the first election in which I want to ensure that they (cabinet ministers) come as party leaders,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.
Anwar said PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who is domestic trade and consumer affairs minister, cancelled a programme in Port Dickson, which was fixed a month earlier.
He said this was to ensure that the programme was not misconstrued as an election-related event.
“That is an important signal... That we are going to go into the election clean and (through an) independent process.”
He was responding to growing criticisms over the decision by sitting Port Dickson MP Datuk Danyal Rajagopal Abdullah to vacate his seat to pave the way for Anwar’s return to Parliament.
Anwar said PKR was not taking the by-election lightly, adding that the presence of PKR leaders at the press conference was testament to their pledge to win the by-election. Present were Azmin, and PKR vice-presidents Rafizi Ramli and Tian Chua.
Azmin and Rafizi are vying for the party’s deputy presidency in upcoming party polls, while Tian Chua is defending his vice-president’s post.