Do not beg for positions in state govt, says Pasir Gudang MP to Johor Pakatan

PASIR GUDANG: Johor Pakatan Harapan should not put themselves down by begging for positions from the state government, says Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim.

The PKR man said while he respects and sees merit in state Pakatan deputy chairman Aminolhuda Hassan’s view, he believes that the latter should not go as low as to beg for positions.

“At the federal level, we can see that Umno leaders are comfortable working with Pakatan, but that spirit has not been translated at the state level here, so much so that Aminolhuda has to beg.

“I am sad (to see him beg). If I were the Johor Pakatan leader, I would not have done that. I will not put myself down just to beg for the position,” he said.

He said this to reporters when met after attending the Jualan Rahmah Kasih Sayang program at Taman Desa Cemerlang Perdana community hall here on Saturday (Feb 24).

He said this when asked to respond to Aminolhuda’s statement on Friday (Feb 23), where he hoped the state government could give local council and village chief positions to Pakatan as they have been left out from the Johor executive councillor (exco) line-up.

Hassan added that he is also disappointed with the move to exclude Pakatan from the exco line-up, which is not in line with the unity spirit at the federal level.

“I am disappointed that there are no Pakatan assemblymen in the Johor exco line-up as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has given many Umno members Minister and Deputy Minister positions.

“We expected to see something similar translated here, but it looks like that is not the case. I am disappointed, but there is nothing much we can do,” he said, adding that the move has closed doors for further cooperation between Pakatan and Barisan Nasional in Johor.

He said that Johor Pakatan would not be able to do much anyway with the councillor and village chief positions.

“The request is reasonable, and I hope that Mentri Besar, Umno and Barisan Nasional will consider it, but Pakatan will not be able to carry out the reformation agenda with such positions anyway.

“That is what is important. It is not merely about the position but being able to carry out the reform agenda,” he said.

Earlier, Aminolhuda, who is also Johor Parti Amanah Negara chief, said there are voices in the grassroots claiming that the relationship between Pakatan and Barisan Nasional in the state is not as strong as it is in the Federal Government.

“But since there is no place for Pakatan in the state exco line-up, we accept it, but we hope to be given the chance to take on posts as local councillors, village heads, and new Chinese village chiefs.

“This will reflect the true spirit of unity, federal-state collaboration and project the strength of the Madani government,” he told a press conference after chairing the state Amanah leadership committee meeting here on Friday (Feb 23).

The Johor exco consists of 10 assemblymen, all from Barisan, after the coalition won 40 out of 56 seats in the state election in March 2022.

On Feb 13, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced a reshuffle in the state exco line-up, which saw an Umno assemblyman being replaced with another party member.