PM, PH LEADERS TO CAMPAIGN FOR ANWAR

This is to dispel rumours of a falling-out with the PKR leader, says Dr Mahathir

PRIME Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Pakatan Harapan component party leaders will campaign for Port Dickson byelection candidate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Monday.

Dr Mahathir, who is PH chairman, said he and other PH leaders would attend a hustings event in Port Dickson as part of Anwar’s campaign.

“I and other (PH) party leaders will be at a major event in PD (Port Dickson) on Monday as part of the campaign.

“We hope voters, especially (outstation) voters, will come back to vote,” he said after chairing a PH presidential council meeting here yesterday.

Dr Mahathir said it was necessary for him to campaign for Anwar to counter allegations of his “frosty” relationship with Anwar, who was tipped to replace Dr Mahathir as prime minister in two years’ time. “A lot of people are making all sorts of remarks against me. Talking about my argument with Anwar and not supporting him as a result.”

On Sept 14, Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying that he normally would not campaign for anyone in any by-election. Dr Mahathir said although voter fatigue had set in, it was important for constituents in Port Dickson to cast their ballots on Oct 13.

“There is less momentum (in the PD byelection) as people are getting tired of elections.

“In the last (by-election), a smaller number of people turned up.”

Following the 14th General Election on May 9, separate byelections have been held in Sungai Kandis, Balakong and Seri Setia.

On electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0’s claim that the presence of cabinet ministers in Port Dickson would be an unfair advantage for Anwar, Dr Mahathir said the ministers were campaigning for Anwar in their capacity as PH leaders.

He refuted Pas’ claim that Anwar had attended a governmentorganised event at an army camp in Port Dickson to canvass votes.

“It was not a government function. It was a (military) veterans’ (event). The people are already retired. It is not a function by the Defence Ministry.

“The minister there (Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu) was present as a member (of Parti Amanah Negara),” said Dr Mahathir, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman.

Mohamad presented the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medals to exarmy personnel at the event.

The Port Dickson parliamentary seat was vacated by incumbent Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah on Sept 12 to enable Anwar to stand for election and return to Parliament.

In GE14, Danyal, 68, won the seat with a majority of 17,710 votes, defeating BN candidate Datuk V.S. Mogan and Mahfuz Roslan from Pas.

The Port Dickson parliamentary constituency has 75,770 registered voters comprising 43 per cent of Malay voters, Chinese (33 per cent), Indians (22 per cent) and others (two per cent).