Anwar explains reception for Idris quartet, not sign of candidacy

Anwar explains reception for Idris quartet, not sign of candidacy

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said Malacca Pakatan Harapan recognised the yearning for change by the four former Malacca assemblypersons who caused the collapse of the state government earlier this month.

Speaking to reporters in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, today, Anwar said this was the reason for the warm reception of the quartet during a Malacca Harapan event on Monday night.

"We invited them because they took steps to bring change in Malacca and at the time Malacca Harapan supported them.

"Therefore, we thanked them (on Monday night). Itu saja (that's all). (Candidacy during) the election is a different matter," said Anwar (above).

The BN administration in Malacca collapsed on Oct 4 following the withdrawal of support by the four assemblypersons for Sulaiman Md Ali to be chief minister.

The four are Idris Haron (former Sungai Udang assemblyperson), Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor), Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas) and Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu).

Sulaiman did not step down and instead succeeded in convincing Malacca governor Mohd Ali Rustam to dissolve the legislative assembly, paving the way for fresh elections.

On Monday night, the four appeared at a Malacca Harapan event where, according to press reports, they were given a "hero's welcome" by those present.



PKR vice-president Tian Chua with Idris Haron and Norhizam Hassan Baktee at the Malacca event.

Idris told the event that the four are hoping to be fielded as Harapan candidates for the Nov 20 elections.

The treatment for the four at the Malacca Harapan event had sparked protests by Harapan figures throughout the country, on grounds that the four were responsible for the fall of the Harapan administration in Malacca last year.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng yesterday explicitly stated that his party will not agree to Norhizam - a former DAP assemblyperson who defected last year - standing under a Harapan banner.

When asked about the protests, Anwar claimed that only DAP had protested.

"DAP alone raised the matter. We will discuss," said Anwar.

Harapan's presidential council - the coalition's highest decision-making body - will be meeting today at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.