DAP’s Anthony Loke calls out Tian Chua’s proposal to work with defectors, says Pakatan must reject traitors

(MMO) – DAP will not work with traitors and it has made this stand clear in yesterday’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council meeting, the party’s national organising committee secretary Anthony Loke said.

Ahead of next month’s Melaka state election, Loke said the PH coalition must continue to back the 2018 mandate given to Adly Zahari and return the Amanah man as chief minister.

Loke rebuked PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang for proposing PH should work with anyone in order to win the upcoming state election, including the four assemblymen who triggered the collapse of the state Umno-led government and the dissolution of the Melaka assembly by withdrawing their support for the then chief minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.

“This is Tian Chua’s personal opinion. DAP’s position has been made loud and clear at the PH presidential council meeting.

“PH must campaign based on our common policies and track record during our 22-month rule in Melaka under the leadership of former Chief Minister Adly Zahari.

“PH must reject traitors. Period,” Loke posted on his personal Facebook page last night.

PKR’s Chua, better known as Tian Chua, was reported saying that PH should work with anyone, without excluding the four defectors.

He said it would be a tactical move in order to win the most seats in Melaka.

“Tactically we must join with anyone that can give Harapan victory. It is a tactic we must consider by any means to win the most seats,” he was quoted saying by news portal Malaysiakini after the PH presidential council meeting last night.

PKR is under fire from its political partners after its president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said PH was “talking it over” whether or not to accept and field the four former Melaka assemblymen who pulled out in the coming polls.

The four are former Sungai Udang assemblyman Datuk Seri Idris Haron, former Pantai Kundor assemblyman Datuk Nor Azman Hassa who were both from Umno; Datuk Noor Effandi Ahmad (formerly Telok Mas) who was previously with Bersatu; and Norhizam Hassan Baktee (formerly Pengkalan Batu) who won the seat on the DAP ticket in 2018 only to declare himself independent later but backing Umno.

Anwar said that he is aware that some will not be in favour of the four assemblymen contesting the next Melaka state poll and downplayed the presence of the quartet at a recent pre-state election gathering that was held on the same day that the Melaka polls were confirmed by the Election Commission.

DAP’s former Kota Laksamana representative Low Chee Leong said he would start a protest if Melaka PH chose to field Norhizam as a candidate in the state election.

The Melaka State Legislative Assembly, which consists of 28 seats, was dissolved on October 4.

Melaka will go to the polls on November 20 with nomination held on November 8.