Sit out GE15 if you want to save people from voting, Penang BN tells Pakatan

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Penang Pakatan Harapan should sit out the 15th General Election if they want to save the people from the hassle of voting during floods, says Penang Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir (pic).

"If indeed they are so concerned of the storms and floods during the monsoon period, then I ask states, including Penang, to not contest at all for Parliament (seats).

"They talk like they are helping the people but in fact, they are troubling the people as they will need to come out and vote two times," he told reporters after chairing the Bukit Mertajam Umno delegates meeting at a hotel here on Sunday (Oct 16).

He also said Penang could dissolve its state assembly and hold state polls concurrently with the Parliament elections if indeed they wanted to save people the hassle.

"If they dare, dissolve the state assembly and contest, let the people decide for who they are.

On Saturday (Oct 15), Pakatan announced that it would stand firm on its decision to not dissolve the state assemblies of Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan.

On the line-up of candidates for parliamentary seats in Penang, Musa said their names would be announced after nomination day is set.

"Allocation of seats is going smoothly and four seats that were contested by Parti Gerakan will be distributed.

"MCA will contest four seats while Umno will contest five. We have submitted their names," he said, adding that about 60% of them were new faces.

At the meeting, Musa, who is also Penang Umno chairman, said among the motions raised was to support Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as prime minister.

He said the party had also set up a committee to investigate the memoirs of former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas.

Musa also called for an investigation into allegations that about 250 individuals in Penang had received RM700mil from 1MDB.

About 300 people from various branches in Bukit Mertajam were present at the meeting.

During GE14 in Penang, Umno contested in five parliamentary seats, MCA (four) and Gerakan (four).