DAP had also worked with the party in the past, says Onn Hafiz
BATU PAHAT: PAS’ move to support Barisan Nasional candidates in the polls should not be seen as a racial issue though it is being played up by DAP leaders to scare the Chinese community, says Johor caretaker Mentri Besar.
Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (pic), who welcomed PAS support for Barisan, pointed out that DAP had also worked with PAS in the past.
“There was no problem then, but when PAS now supports Barisan, it is turned into a racial issue.
“I am sure Bangsa Johor is mature and wise not to believe all the remarks made by DAP leaders,” he said after a visit to check on election machinery here yesterday.
Asked about PAS representatives also joining the event, Onn Hafiz said that he was surprised and touched that they too came along to support the Barisan candidate here.
“I hope this will translate into more people coming and voting for Barisan,” he said.
Asked about criticisms made by former Johor speaker Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi, Onn Hafiz said he was unperturbed.
“This fight is not about any individual. He is here to attack me, let him do it,” he said, adding that past assemblymen such as Ayub Jamil who made way for Puad to contest did not sulk when he was not selected to contest the seat.
“This fight is for the party and for the people of Johor,” he said.
He said topics raised by Puad such as water disruptions and the construction of a levee here were meant to instigate the people.
PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man was reported to have urged voters and supporters to vote for Barisan in the seats not contested by Perikatan Nasional.
Perikatan is contesting 33 seats in Johor, with Bersatu contesting 16, PAS 11, the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) five and Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) one.
Checks showed that at least 13 of the 23 other seats that PAS is asking its members to support were non-Malay majority seats including Bekok, Tangkak, Bentayan, Yong Peng, Parit Yaani, Penggaram, Mengkibol, Puteri Wangsa, Johor Jaya, Bukit Batu, Perling, Skudai and Senai.
The 23 seats comprise 12 from MCA, 10 from Umno and one from MIC.
