PONTIAN: The decision of DAP not to field a candidate in the Tanjung Piai parliamentary constituency by-election is to ensure harmony in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.
In the spirit of solidarity, Tanjung Piai DAP chairman Yeo Tung Siong said the party had earlier decided not to nominate a candidate although traditionally the seat was held by DAP.
“We have considered it a lot, so from the start DAP already had a stand. “No. We will not contest in the parliamentary constituency because what is important is not only winning or losing in the by-election, but we must see if any action we take will have a bad long-term effect to PH,” he said, adding that DAP would give its full support to the PH candidate who would be contesting in the area and would set up its by-election campaign machinery at the Pekan Nanas State Assembly constituency service centre and in Kukup town.
He said DAP would also correct the negative perception that the party had been dominating PH following the coalition’s victory in the 14th General Election.
On the issues that would be highlighted during the by-election campaign, the Pekan Nanas assemblyman said the party rejected racial sentiments which might be played up during the campaign period.
He said he hoped there would be healthy competition regardless of who the candidates were.
The Election Commission (EC) had announced that nomination day and polling day would be Nov 2 and 16, respectively.
The constituency became vacant with the death of Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik on Sept 21 due to heart complications.-- BERNAMA