Loke rules out PH-BN tie-up in Negeri Sembilan
3 hours ago
Elill Easwaran
The DAP secretary-general says cooperation is out of the question after the coalition withdrew support for menteri besar Aminuddin Harun and moved to contest all seats in Johor
Despite the collision course in Negeri Sembilan, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the relationship between PH and BN at the federal level remained intact. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook has made it clear that Pakatan Harapan would not work with Barisan Nasional in Negeri Sembilan.
He said such cooperation in Negeri Sembilan was a non-starter given the circumstances that triggered the dissolution of the state assembly.
“The whole idea of dissolving the (state assembly) was because Umno had withdrawn its support.
“How can we now say we will cooperate with them just to avoid any defeat?” he told a press conference after attending federal territories DAP’s launch of a special documentary on the chapter’s journey.
Loke also said Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) decision to contest all 36 Negeri Sembilan seats is a direct response to BN.
“Umno wants to fight everything in Johor. PH also wants to fight everything in Negeri Sembilan. So, tit for tat,” he said.
BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said his coalition remained open to continuing cooperation with PH to maintain the unity government in Negeri Sembilan although formal talks on electoral cooperation had yet to take place.
The Negeri Sembilan state assembly was dissolved on Friday, two months after 14 Umno assemblymen said they had lost confidence in menteri besar Aminuddin Harun and had withdrawn support for his administration.
A week later, the Umno bloc said it would remain in the state government but maintained its withdrawal of support for Aminuddin.
Despite the collision course in Negeri Sembilan, Loke said the relationship between PH and BN at the federal level remained intact.
“As far as we are concerned, at this point it is still a working relationship. We are still running the government together.
“Of course, we do not want to jeopardise the situation at the federal level. The Cabinet still functions as normal,” he said.
Loke hits back at Rafizi over dissolution claim
Loke also directed his criticism at former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, dismissing claims that DAP had applied pressure on the Negeri Sembilan government to dissolve the assembly.
Rafizi had claimed on his podcast that the dissolution was driven by DAP’s push for simultaneous elections with Johor, despite earlier signals from Aminuddin and state PH leaders that they were prepared to continue governing as a minority administration.
Loke said he had spoken directly with Aminuddin immediately after the Johor dissolution and was told the menteri besar was ready to move for a dissolution.
“So, what do you mean by DAP (applying pressure for a dissolution)?
“I think Rafizi has a new syndrome … he also has the syndrome where everyone wants to blame DAP.
“He is the same as everyone else after leaving PH. They only want to blame DAP. I expected (much) more from Rafizi,” he said.
He said such cooperation in Negeri Sembilan was a non-starter given the circumstances that triggered the dissolution of the state assembly.
“The whole idea of dissolving the (state assembly) was because Umno had withdrawn its support.
“How can we now say we will cooperate with them just to avoid any defeat?” he told a press conference after attending federal territories DAP’s launch of a special documentary on the chapter’s journey.
Loke also said Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) decision to contest all 36 Negeri Sembilan seats is a direct response to BN.
“Umno wants to fight everything in Johor. PH also wants to fight everything in Negeri Sembilan. So, tit for tat,” he said.
BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said his coalition remained open to continuing cooperation with PH to maintain the unity government in Negeri Sembilan although formal talks on electoral cooperation had yet to take place.
The Negeri Sembilan state assembly was dissolved on Friday, two months after 14 Umno assemblymen said they had lost confidence in menteri besar Aminuddin Harun and had withdrawn support for his administration.
A week later, the Umno bloc said it would remain in the state government but maintained its withdrawal of support for Aminuddin.
Despite the collision course in Negeri Sembilan, Loke said the relationship between PH and BN at the federal level remained intact.
“As far as we are concerned, at this point it is still a working relationship. We are still running the government together.
“Of course, we do not want to jeopardise the situation at the federal level. The Cabinet still functions as normal,” he said.
Loke hits back at Rafizi over dissolution claim
Loke also directed his criticism at former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, dismissing claims that DAP had applied pressure on the Negeri Sembilan government to dissolve the assembly.
Rafizi had claimed on his podcast that the dissolution was driven by DAP’s push for simultaneous elections with Johor, despite earlier signals from Aminuddin and state PH leaders that they were prepared to continue governing as a minority administration.
Loke said he had spoken directly with Aminuddin immediately after the Johor dissolution and was told the menteri besar was ready to move for a dissolution.
“So, what do you mean by DAP (applying pressure for a dissolution)?
“I think Rafizi has a new syndrome … he also has the syndrome where everyone wants to blame DAP.
“He is the same as everyone else after leaving PH. They only want to blame DAP. I expected (much) more from Rafizi,” he said.
Rafizi Just wants revenge against PH....notice he has.nothing to say about PAS,Bersatu and UMNO.
ReplyDeletepathetic small-minded self-centred S-Whole
ReplyDelete