KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 ― A PAS leader told his Pakatan Rakyat (PR) colleagues today to stop pinning the DAP’s loss in Teluk Intan on his party’s hudud bid, saying the pact should focus on staying united instead of engaging in a blame game.
At a press conference in PAS’s headquarters here, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said all aspects of the by-election outcome should first be taken into consideration before any party is blamed for the loss.
“It is not reasonable for Pakatan Rakyat to come out from the by-election and play the blame game,” the Research Centre executive director said.
“It is better for PR to come out stronger and focus in strengthening the unity of Pakatan Rakyat.”
In the by-election on Saturday, Barisan Nasional's Datuk Mah Siew Keong won after he took 20,157 votes to DAP candidate Dyana Sofya Mod Daud's 19,919.
Dzulkefly added that the opposition coalition should focus on strengthening what they have been started to build on in Teluk Intan to gain the support of the youth there, namely their presentation of a young, professional candidate against a political stalwart and gaining support from youths in Teluk Intan.
He said a thorough analysis of DAP’s loss in last Saturday’s by-election had yet to be concluded, which he said was important to fine-tune their weaknesses and strengths.
“Whatever factors in winning or losing can only be said based on research and knowledge,” he said, adding, “Not through analysts’ opinion.”
In a statement earlier today, DAP lawmaker Gobind Singh Deo attributed his party’s loss in Teluk Intan to PAS’ attempt to introduce controversial Islamic penal code in Kelantan and the swing of non-Malay votes was a “silent protest” on PAS’ hudud bid.
