MELAKA: Datuk Nor Azman Hassan, who is now an independent state assemblyman, claimed he and three others who withdrew support for the state government were against snap polls in the state.
This, he said, was due to the ongoing Covid-19 threat.
"It is Umno and Barisan Nasional who are 'kemaruk' (desperate) for the state election to be held.
"It could have been avoided if the State Legislative Assembly was not dissolved and the state administration surrendered to other leaders," said the now-independent Pantai Kundor state assemblyman.
He claimed that if the state assembly was not dissolved on Oct 4, the Melaka political crisis could have been resolved with the handing over of power to a different state leadership.
Nor Azman however declined to name a suitable replacement for Barisan Nasional's Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali as chief minister.
Speaking about his past experience after contracting Covid-19, he said he did not wish the illness upon others as it was excruciating.
"After I was confirmed positive for Covid-19 on Sept 13, I observed self-quarantine but was then warded in Hospital Melaka on Sept 22 after experiencing vomiting and headaches.
"My oxygen levels dropped below 80 per cent and I had to rely on ventilators, Alhamdulillah (praise be to God), God gave me another chance and I was discharged on Sept 28," he said when contacted today.
Nor Azman was commenting on a statement made by Senior International Trade and Industries Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who said the state election should not be held now as the focus should be on tackling Covid-19 and economic recovery.
Another political leader who disagreed with the snap polls was Gerakan president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau Hoe Chai.
Nor Azman had claimed that the state election could be avoided if state Speaker Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh did not rush in announcing the dissolution of the state legislative assembly, with the reason that the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Tun Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam, had already agreed to it.
He added that if the state election went on, he would be defending his Pantai Kundor seat which he won in the 14th General election.
Nor Azman, who had contested under the BN ticket then, won the three-way fight against Juhair Osman (PKR) and Abdul Halim Maidin (Pas) with a 772 vote-majority.