14 former PH federal ministers reject call for snap election
KUCHING: A total of 14 former Pakatan Harapan federal ministers have signed a joint statement rejecting the demand by Umno to hold a snap general election amid the current Covid19 outbreak and its impacts on livelihood.
“Barely three weeks after a supposedly people-friendly national budget was passed, Umno now wants to use fresh elections as a trump card to grab more power at the expense of Malaysians’ wellbeing and health safety.
They have bared their true colours for all to see,” said the joint statement.
They said the country had been recording thousands of new Covid-19 cases these days and some states had also been hit with severe floods with over 15,000 Malaysians being displaced.
“Current unemployment or reduced income for many families in this time of pandemic remains unsettling.
With these in mind, we are appalled by the continuous demand by Umno to hold snap polls in such a climate.” They said Malaysians must reject such selfish ambition for power of Umno as the people had already lost enough from years of misgovernance and corruption.
The MPs and former PH ministers who endorsed the statement are Baru Bian (Selangau MP and former Minister of Works), Darell Leiking ( Penampang MP and former Minister of International Trade and Industry), Syed Saddiq
(Muar MP and former Minister of Youth and Sports), Mohd Azis Jamman (Sepanggar MP and former Deputy Home Minister) and Hannah Yeoh (Segambut MP and former Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development).
Also signing the statement were Yeo Bee Yin (Bakri MP and former Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change), Sivarasa Rasiah (Sungai Buloh MP and former Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development), Salahuddin Ayub (Pulai MP and former Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry) and
Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu MP and former Deputy Minister of Finance).
It was also signed by Teo Nie Ching (Kulai MP and former Deputy Minister of Education), Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Kota Belud MP and former Deputy Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change), Marzuki Yahya (senator and former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs), Mahfuz Omar (Pokok Sena MP and former Deputy Minister of Human Resources) and Khalid Samad (Shah Alam MP and former Minister of Federal Territories).