SHAH ALAM – Sg Buloh MP Datuk R. Ramanan is confident that the last-minute change in candidates for the Kota Damansara state seat will not have a detrimental effect on Pakatan Harapan (PH) at the upcoming polls.
Speaking to reporters after a joint PH and Barisan Nasional (BN) ceramah event in Subang Bestari last night, the PKR lawmaker pointed out that such changes are not unique to the state seat, which is under the Sg Buloh constituency.
“(The change) doesn’t affect anything because it was made before nomination day, not after. It is odd, but (Kota Damansara) is not the only place where it has ever happened.
“Sometimes, calculations need to be revised and best decisions have to be made. Whatever it is, it’s a party decision (made by) our president and we will follow his call,” he added.
He also said that as PH chairman, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim carries the burden of having to make potentially tough decisions in order to maintain unity among coalition members and its partners.
“It’s not easy dealing with political leaders and factions. (Anwar) has a difficult job (where he has to) appease everybody,” he said.
It was reported on Friday that PH would be replacing its original candidate for the Kota Damansara state seat, Aidi Amin Yazid, with Selangor PKR Youth chief Muhammad Izuan Kasim – less than 24 hours before nominations day.
During his speech at the event last night, Anwar, who has since explained that the decision was made to allow PKR to field a youth candidate in Selangor, said that he does not sign the appointment letters for candidates to contest at the polls if he is not confident in their abilities.
The event was also attended by incumbent Kota Damansara state assemblyman Shatiri Mansor from PKR and his predecessor, Umno’s Halimaton Saadiah Bohan.
Both were there to show their support for 32-year-old Izuan, who said that his campaign for the seat will not be race-based as he believes in offering comprehensive solutions to all residents in the area.
The Kota Damansara seat has yet to see a two-term assemblyperson as its representatives have only managed to hold onto the state constituency for one term before losing it to rivals.
While the seat has only ever seen an assemblyman from either PKR or Umno, the cooperation between federal unity government partners PH and BN will see the two coalitions combining forces to go against Perikatan Nasional’s Mohd Radzlan Jalaludin from Bersatu.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) secretary-general A. Sivarajan will also once again be trying his luck for the seat after securing only 435 votes out of a four-cornered fight during the previous elections in 2018. – July 30, 2023