Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim speaks during a press conference at Parliament in Kuala Lumpur August 11,2020. — Picture by Miera Zulyana
JOHOR BARU, Oct 19 — PKR’s outspoken Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim today claimed Melaka Pakatan Harapan (PH) contributed to the political crisis in the state that ultimately forced a snap election as a way out.
The Johor federal lawmaker also blamed the Opposition coalition’s central leadership for not managing the issue well.
“From the beginning of this political crisis, I did not agree with the opportunistic and irresponsible attitude of Melaka PH which dragged the crisis until the dissolution of the state assembly and triggering a state election.
“I also think PH’s central leadership had also failed to handle the crisis well and also did not provide guidance or proper leadership,” said Hassan in a statement.
The 70-year-old activist-cum-lawyer said that many might not agree with him on his view regarding Melaka’s political crisis.
He said what had happened in Melaka was a fiasco not only for PH’s state chapter, but also the coalition as a whole.
However, the former Johor PKR chief did not elaborate on these points.
Hassan has been known to speak his mind freely at times and is not afraid to lock horns with the Opposition coalition’s central leadership when he disagrees with their stand.
The Melaka state assembly was dissolved on October 4 after four elected representatives — Datuk Seri Idris Haron, Datuk Nor Azman Hassan, Noor Effandi Ahmad, and Norhizam Hasan Baktee — withdrew their support for Umno’s Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali as chief minister.
Melaka will be going back to the polls on November 20. Nomination day is November 8 and early polling is November 16.