Zuraida’s case should be a benchmark for BN to penalise traitors

SHAH ALAM - BN Secretary-General Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir confirms that a commitment document binding the coalition election candidates in the 15th General Election (GE15) exists.

He said it was compulsory for every candidate chosen to represent BN at the level of Parliament or the State Assembly to sign it.

“I see the court’s decision on Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin as something positive that should be a lesson to all parties, especially the people’s representatives.

“In the context of BN, we hope that this kind of thing does not happen because the spirit of unity among all coalition representatives is always guarded and preserved well,” he told Sinar Premium on Friday.

Meanwhile, Umno Supreme Working Council member Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar said BN’s approach was good and it should be a lesson to lawmakers not to abandon the party on a whim.

Mohd Sharkar

“At the same time, this can provide political stability in the country because there will be fewer candidates jumping parties.”

“The candidates should remember that they won based on the ticket of the party they represented, and the voters in that party elected them." “When politicians switch parties, they don’t seem to appreciate the votes they receive,” he remarked.

In regards to PKR suing Zuraida, Shakar believed that Umno should follow a similar strategy to deal with traitors.

“In the past, Umno did not have a legally binding agreement.

“However, the Zuraida case has set a precedent for BN or any other party to impose demands on past candidates who have changed party.

“This approach can be used as a good example, especially in the upcoming State Election, because most of the states involved have not passed their respective State Government Bills to enable the Anti-Party Jumping Enactment to be implemented,” he said.