News

Published: Tuesday April 30, 2013 MYT 3:33:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday April 30, 2013 MYT 3:47:48 PM

GE13: Groups come out to support Nasir over PAS in Kota Damansara

By MARTIN CARVALHO


PETALING JAYA: Several groups including local DAP branch leaders have come out in support of Parti Sosialis Malaysia's (PSM) Kota Damansara candidate Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim following continued defiance from PAS members who are still campaigning for their candidate despite orders not to do so by their party's top leadership.

Lawyer Michael Wong representing the group calling themselves the Community Organisations and Associations said “despite the recent directive given by PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali, a group of PAS supporters have campaigned even more aggressively for their candidate in Kota Damansara."

“They are still campaigning door to door, distributing leaflets including telling votes here that the directive issued by Mustafa is false,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Wong added that the action of the group of PAS supporters from the Subang parliamentary constituency had caused confusion amongst Pakatan Rakyat supporters who are now questioning who to cast their ballots for.

Also voicing her support for Nasir was Bawani K.S, the Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) coordinator who gained famed over the listen, listen, listen' spat with Suara Wanita 1Malaysia (SW1M) chairman Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin.

“We have only five days before the polls and we urged them to work together with us and not confuse the voters,” she said.

Also present were DAP Subang branch chairman Chang Chan Man, DAP Setia Alam branch chairman James Ng and DAP Bukti Jelutung branch chairman Asri Ahmad who backed Mohd Nasir as Pakatan Rakyat's sole candidate for the seat.

When contacted, Mustafa, who is in Sabah, confirmed he had issued the order to PAS candidate Ridzuan Ismail to stop campaigning, adding that PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu had also called on Ridzuan to heed the party's order.

“I will call my secretary at PAS headquarters to give Ridzuan a call to ask him to abide by the party's decision,” he said.

Mohd Nasir, who is contesting under a PKR banner, is facing a tough battle defending the seat which he won after defeating Barisan Nasional's Zein Isma Ismail with a 1,075-vote majority in the last poll.

Beside Ridzuan , the Kota Damansara seat is being contested by Barisan's Halimatun Saadiah Bohan and independents Edrus Abdullah, Halmi Omar and A. Suppiah in a six-cornered fight.

On Saturday, Mustafa announced that PAS would withdraw' from the contest in Kota Damansara and directed the PAS machinery there to halt campaigning for Ridzuan and assist Mohd Nasir instead.

On Monday, PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was reported to have clarified the issue at a ceremah in Paya Jeras that he and PKR president Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had issued Mohd Nasir's candidate authorisation letter as the Pakatan's leadership had agreed on his candidacy for the seat.

On April 21, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang drew the ire of Mohd Nasir when he told a crowd at a ceramah in Marang that there was PKR candidate who subscribed to Marxism.

For more election stories, please visit The Star's GE13 site

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story
  • Bookmark and Share
Follow us The Star Online on Facebook The Star Online on Twitter TheStarOnline.tv The Star Online's RSS Feeds