Up to voters in Johor by-elections to judge Muhyiddin, says Dr Wee

PETALING JAYA: It will be up to voters in the upcoming by-elections in Johor to judge Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for issuing a political fatwa, says MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Dr Wee also said political parties are also free to use any election strategies and they will be judged by voters on polling day.

"Whatever the politician wants to say, let them say it. Most importantly you have to convince voters to vote for you.

"Whatever tactics parties want to use, that is their tactic. It is for the people to judge and make the right decision," said Dr Wee to reporters after chairing the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap) 2024 National Budget Roundtable Discussion at Wisma MCA on Wednesday (Sept 6).

On Saturday (Sept 2) night, during a Perikatan ceramah at Taman Kempas here, Muhyiddin deemed it "haram" or sinful to vote for Suhaizan in the Pulai by-election.

"Do not give even one vote to Suhaizan, the ex-(Johor) speaker. I deem it as haram.

"Tomorrow someone will challenge me on which fatwa this was based on," the former prime minister quipped.

Muhyiddin had drawn flak from various quarters following his controversial remarks and he was being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Section 505(c) of the Penal Code is for making, publishing or circulating any statement, rumour or report with intent to incite or which is likely to incite any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community of persons.

Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 is for improper use of network facilities or network services.

The by-election for the Pulai parliamentary seat and Simpang Jeram state seat were held following the death of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub who was respectively the MP and assemblyman for the seats.

Pakatan’s Suhaizan is in a three-cornered fight against Perikatan’s Zulkifli Jaafar and Independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.

Pulai is a mixed seat with Malays making up 44.18% of the total 166,653 registered voters, followed by the Chinese (40.46%), Indians (12.31%) and other ethnicities (3.06%).