KUANTAN: Wong Tack (pic) has claimed that he was supposed to be dropped completely from the 15th General Election (GE15) without even being offered the Cameron Highlands seat at first.
The incumbent Bentong MP said the DAP leadership's claim that he was not dropped was inaccurate.
"On Oct 16, I was told that the Pahang DAP state committee decided to remove me from Bentong.
"I would also not be contesting any seats in Pahang. I was to disappear from Pahang completely," he said in a statement Friday (Oct 28).
During the announcement of parliamentary candidates in Pahang on Wednesday (Oct 26), DAP secretary-general Loke said the offer to Wong was made during a three-hour discussion on Sunday (Oct 23) with the latter refusing it the following day.
Incumbent Ketari assemblyman Young Syefura Othman had since been announced as Pakatan Harapan's candidate to defend the Bentong seat in the coming polls.
Wong claimed there was a strong adverse reaction from the ground especially among Bentong party members upon hearing this news.
"They find the party's decision illogical. The team has worked hard over the years to serve the people.
"Bentong is a large constituency. It is two and a half times bigger than Singapore with four state constituencies (Ketari, Bilut, Sabai and Pelangai) under it.
"Over the past few years, the people of Bentong have faced so many challenges especially the MCO, big Karak fire and the devastating flood.
"We hit the ground running to help the people regardless of race, religion and political background.
"I believe many locals can attest to this," Wong said, adding that he made it clear to the party that he would be standing firm in the constituency.
Wong said it was only then that the party offered him Cameron Highlands.
"I immediately declined the offer. Anthony Loke asked to meet on Oct 23. This was the first time I met a top leader of the party over this.
"Though I informed the party of my decision on Cameron Highlands multiple times, he asked me to reconsider.
"I told him I would convey what we discussed to the Bentong grassroots and get back to him within 24 hours," he said.
Wong, who then broke ranks with DAP and announced he would contest in Bentong as independent, said he was confident the people would give him the mandate again.
"I do not belong to any faction within the party. I am not interested in and have never played party politics.
"Politics must be about the people. It should not be a game of rhetoric, manipulation or hollow strategies just to win elections.
"It is time to plant the seeds to build a platform for real people power in politics, and I hope it starts from Bentong," he said.
