MCA: If Pakatan can handle by-elections, why not GE?
Published: Nov 23, 2011 9:05 AM | Updated: Nov 23, 2011 9:08 AM
MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong has shot back at a PKR leader’s claim that election dates should be fixed to ensure a level playing field.
MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong has shot back at a PKR leader’s claim that election dates should be fixed to ensure a level playing field.
Wee said that PKR and Pakatan Rakyat had always been able to prepare for by-elections and a snap general election should be no different.
"If Pakatan cannot bring in the supporters, then it only shows that Pakatan has lost public backing," said Wee in a statement today.
He points out that since 2008, Pakatan Rakyat had managed to prepare for 16 by-elections and won eight times.
Wee was responding to Penang state legislative assembly speaker Abdul Halim Hussein’s statement yesterday, who said a proper democracy would not allow elections to be called at the “whims and fancies” of the prime minister.
Accusing Abdul Halim of contradicting himself, Wee said Pakatan administered states of Selangor and Penang have also declared intentions of calling snap polls only after the general election.
"This excuse should be applied and advised unto Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng and Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim, because it is obvious that DAP and PKR are the ones who are dicing with speculation on holding separate state elections," he said.
He adds that should Selangor and Penang decide to hold polls only after polls for Parliament, this would result in an inconvenience for many parties, including civil service.
"I doubt Abdul Halim can actually hear or heed his own words. If he could, then he would advocate holding concurrent elections like Karpal Singh to avoid wastage of public funds and human resources," said Wee, who is Ayer Itam MP.
Wee said that PKR and Pakatan Rakyat had always been able to prepare for by-elections and a snap general election should be no different.
"If Pakatan cannot bring in the supporters, then it only shows that Pakatan has lost public backing," said Wee in a statement today.
He points out that since 2008, Pakatan Rakyat had managed to prepare for 16 by-elections and won eight times.
Wee was responding to Penang state legislative assembly speaker Abdul Halim Hussein’s statement yesterday, who said a proper democracy would not allow elections to be called at the “whims and fancies” of the prime minister.
Accusing Abdul Halim of contradicting himself, Wee said Pakatan administered states of Selangor and Penang have also declared intentions of calling snap polls only after the general election.
"This excuse should be applied and advised unto Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng and Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim, because it is obvious that DAP and PKR are the ones who are dicing with speculation on holding separate state elections," he said.
He adds that should Selangor and Penang decide to hold polls only after polls for Parliament, this would result in an inconvenience for many parties, including civil service.
"I doubt Abdul Halim can actually hear or heed his own words. If he could, then he would advocate holding concurrent elections like Karpal Singh to avoid wastage of public funds and human resources," said Wee, who is Ayer Itam MP.
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