Rafizi expects big win for Selangor in state elections

MUHAMMAD SHAMSUL ABD GHANI
MUHAMMAD SHAMSUL ABD GHANI
14 Jan 2023 04:41pm
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SHAH ALAM - PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli is certain that Selangor will be retained under Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the state election.

He said this based on the perceptions of PH voters in the state who have accepted the idea of a unity government.

"This is based on data at hand, where improvements are expected within next six months where Selangor would be able to maintain the 40 of current seats and the possibilities of winning a couple more seats maybe between 45 and 47 state assembly seats from the 56 seats contested in total.

"Based on various researchs, it was clear that PH voters have accepted the coalition. Hence, it will not be hard for Selangor to retain its past victory in the states, as its voters are urban and semi-urban citizens who very well know the need for good government and policies for the country and its people.

"However, we think the real challenge will be how many Barisan Nasional (BN) voters we can convince to vote for the PH-BN coalition. Nevertheless, PH will have a strong margin of victory if we can retain 40 seats like previously, " he said after the State Election Convention at the Ideal Convention Center (IDCC) on Saturday.

On seat allotment for the state election, he said no discussions have yet taken place with BN counterparts for the six states.

"We have yet to talk and discuss seat distribution for the state election. We will make sure that it is agreed upon and accepted by all, as it is now the PH-BN coalition, so our cooperation is pertinent. But as of now, we will have to wait and see what the outcome of Umno is.

"As we know, the party is having its general assembly now, and we must abide by its internal process. But PH will go all out to defend the victory of three states, namely Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, and Penang," he added.

On a separate matter, Rafizi told Tian Chua, who was recently suspended from the party, to write to the party's appeals board to be reinstated instead of pleading with the president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

This is because the board has the final say, according to the PKR deputy president.

"Appealing directly to the president will not be right as it will be unfair to those who have been sacked from the party before," Rafizi said, adding that it also might send the wrong message to other members and shows double standards.

"The process should be fair to all, which means everyone has to go through the appeals board."

Tian through a statement previously, hoped for Anwar who is also the prime minister, to forgive him for breaking the rules and reinstate him as a member.

He was given a 14-day duration to present the appeal however, the former Batu MP admitted he does not have a reason to ‘defend himself’.

Tian clashed with PKR candidate P Prabakaran and eight other candidates for the Batu seat, where he lost the deposit with only 4,603 votes garnered.

On Jan 7, the PKR Central Leadership Council sacked him and four other members for contesting the GE15 and Srawak state elections in 2021 without the party’s blessing.

The others involved were Puah Chee Haur (Parit Buntar), Ahmad Tarmizi Ghazali (Gopeng), M Mohganan (Taiping), and Nur Khairunisa Abdullah (Sadong Jaya).