GE15: Abdul Latiff endorses Alwiyah Talib as Bersatu's replacement candidate for Mersing

MERSING: Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad has endorsed Bersatu's Endau assemblyman Alwiyah Talib to replace him as candidate for Perikatan Nasional in the Mersing parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election (GE15).

The 64-year-old added that he was adamant in his decision not to contest a sixth term as he has been the MP for Mersing since 1999 and would not be making a U-turn.

“I have been a wakil rakyat since I was 35-years-old where initially, I started as Endau assemblyman for one term.

“I have already discussed it with my party president (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) and I know what I want, so let us wait for the official announcement,” he added.

The caretaker Special Functions Minister said this when met after visiting a Teraju-led fish breeding programme held at Kampung Tanjung Genting here Thursday (Oct 27).

It is learnt that Muhyiddin would be making the announcement on the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia candidate for Mersing during the latter’s visit to the area on Wednesday (Nov 2).

Abdul Latiff has been re-elected four times as an Umno member, contesting on a Barisan Nasional ticket.

After the 2018 general election, he left Umno in December 2018 to be an independent MP and joined Bersatu two months later.

He said some elected representatives faced different turmoil in their careers as politicians where they have to know how to manage when in power.

“Having power can be delusional at times and it is very funny as leaders must know how to manage it instead of letting the power manage them. This is what is happening to my old party.

“In my 27 years as an elected representative, I have learned we must be humble and go with the flow,” he added.

Abdul Latiff also said that Alwiyah was among the names given to Bersatu leadership to consider as a candidate in Mersing for GE15.

“I suggested her name. There are many leaders but I do not have any power to pick any of the candidates as I am not even Mersing Bersatu chief,” he added.

When asked whether his decision not to seek a sixth term as Mersing MP was due to the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) scandal, Abdul Latiff said he wants to take legal action against PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli.

He added that presently, he would let the authorities investigate Rafizi before proceeding with the next course of action.

“Rafizi wants me to file a civil suit against him now but it will take two years for the case to be heard in court where it would be over once he apologises but the damage is already done.

“I received legal advice where my lawyers told me that I have six years before making any decision. Maybe, I will sue Rafizi if the latter becomes prime minister,” he added.

On Aug 22, Rafizi alleged that companies linked to the second wife of a former deputy defence minister were involved in the LCS scandal.

Rafizi had linked one “Zainab Mohd Salleh” to an offshore company with units incorporated in tax havens such as Malta and Labuan.

The declassified forensic report on the LCS scandal involving Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd (BHIC) named a husband-and-wife pair, Abdul Latiff Ahmad and Zainab Mohd Salleh, as the individuals linked to Alizes Marine Ltd.

The company was flagged for suspicious transactions in a spare parts deal but the report however did not specify who the said Abdul Latiff was.

The report also listed Zainab as the shareholder and director of Alizes Marine Ltd domiciled in Malta, and Intralogistics Ltd registered in Labuan, which owns Alizes Marine Labuan and Sousmarin Armada Sdn Bhd.

Latiff has since denied that any of his family members are involved in the LCS project and had lodged a police report over the claims.