KUALA LUMPUR: Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah has confirmed that she will be contesting in the upcoming 14th General Election (GE14) as an independent candidate for Pakatan Harapan.
This is despite her denial to the New Straits Times last month when asked on the possibility of her running in the election, speculated to be held between mid-April to early May.
In an invitation to a press conference sent out today, Maria said she will resign from her post in Bersih 2.0 and start her political career.
"I have decided to resign from Bersih 2.0 as the Chair and to take on a new challenge in the political arena.
"I am offering myself as a candidate for this coming GE14 as an independent to Pakatan Harapan," she wrote in the press invitation.
The media conference is set to be held tomorrow in Petaling Jaya at 12.15pm.
On Feb 21 , NST quoted a source within the opposition pact who said that Maria and former Bersih chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan would be contesting in GE14.
The source claimed that Maria may be contesting the Batu or Petaling Jaya Selatan seats, while Ambiga may be fielded in Kapar or Segamat.
The source also claimed that the duo would be contesting under the PKR banner, but they would not be joining any political party.
However, Maria and Ambiga had dismissed the claim as mere rumour. Maria, when asked on the rumour over the phone, had laughed and said: "Oh really? That’s nice, but no, I am not contesting."