KUALA LUMPUR – A Bersatu leader has dismissed notions of the party playing a “big brother” role in the selection of candidates for polls.
Bersatu information chief Datuk Razali Idris said there is no issue of Bersatu dominating decisions in selecting contenders for Perikatan Nasional (PN) in any by-elections.
Speaking to Scoop, Razali clarified that the final decision on candidate selection is made by the PN Supreme Council.
“There’s no problem. Each component party of PN will certainly want to propose their own candidates. We don’t have a ‘big brother’ in PN who can dictate which party should contest or which candidate should run.
“The final decision is made by the PN Supreme Council, which includes all the leadership from the PN coalition parties,” he said today.
Razali was commenting on a statement by PAS vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Abdullah, who hinted that PAS would field its candidates to represent PN, particularly in Kelantan, if the parliamentary seats of Gua Musang and Jeli, and the Nenggiri State Assembly seat are vacated, triggering by-elections.
This move follows a crisis faced by PN and Bersatu, involving six parliamentarians and one state assembly member supporting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Razali said that this plan is subject to negotiation and discussion with key PN component parties, especially Bersatu.
Citing the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election last month, Razali explained that the original seat allocation belonged to Gerakan.
“But upon review, to seriously contest there, we needed a Malay candidate. After discussions, it was decided that a Bersatu candidate would run, and all the PN leadership agreed to this.
“So, for other potential by-elections, the selection process will be similar. Winning or losing is secondary; the point is that we compromise, discuss, and carefully consider to ensure the candidate we choose is suitable, not just a random pick,” he said.
He added that the selection of candidates representing PN in future by-elections would need to undergo a more stringent vetting process.
“Moreover, we now need to carefully select candidates, not just to win but also considering their mental resilience.
“Because we are in opposition, we need to put forward the best candidates, considering both their external and internal qualities. By-elections often attract attention, so we must always be prepared to face provocations from opponents,” he said. – June 1, 2024