LIPIS: The Pakatan Harapan (PH) led-government will not compromise with parties found abusing government assets and machinery in the ongoing Cameron Highlands by-election campaign.
Deputy Prime Minister and PH president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said reminder to members of the ruling pact had been issued, urging them not to use government assets during the campaign period and the need for them to adhere to the standard operating procedures.
"If it’s true and it is proven wrong then it is certainly wrong... We had issued a reminder not to use government assets during campaign here. We want to avoid controversies," she told reporters after a luncheon event with villagers at Kampung Keledek, here, today.
"Even we took leave and travelled here in our own vehicles," she said, referring to herself and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Fuziah Salleh.
"Today, I had police escort (in my capacity as the deputy prime minister)...and tried to distance myself from the vehicles which were escorting me," she said.
Dr Wan Azizah was earlier asked on the controversy involving Deputy Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Tengku Zulpuri Shah Tengku Raja Puji after the Raub member of parliament was alleged to have misused a state government four-wheel-drive - belonging to the Pahang Forestry department - during the by-election campaign here.
Several videos on the incident have since gone viral.
When asked if action would be taken against Tengku Zulpuri Shah, she replied that they would have to clarify and investigate the matter before deciding on the next course of action.
Meanwhile, Dr Wan Azizah shot down allegations by Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa that Prime Minister and PH chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was hoping for Barisan Nasional (BN) to win the Cameron Highlands by-election on Jan 26.
She dismissed the claim as "not true" saying Dr Mahathir would be coming to campaign here on Friday after returning from his visit abroad.
"Of course, the opposition will come up with such stories... it sounds intriguing but it is not true. The Prime Minister had a tight overseas trip to Senegal and the United Kingdom.
"He will return from the trip, chair the Cabinet meeting which had been postponed to Thursday and will be here on Friday," she said.
During a ceramah here, Annuar was quoted as saying that deep in the prime minister's heart, Dr Mahathir wanted BN to win the by-election claiming the latter was frustrated with DAP's treatment.
Dr Wan Azizah had earlier spent some 30 minutes meeting villagers at a food court in Tanjung Gahai before attending a dialogue session with the Orang Asli community in Dusun Pak Senam, here.