KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 — After yesterday’s victory in Padang Serai, Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has labelled the coalition government formed by Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) as “the biggest electoral fraud ever”.
In a statement, he said that the result of both by-elections in Padang Serai federal seat and Tioman state seat showed voters' rejection towards the electoral pact the two coalitions formed after the 15th general election.
“For me, PH and BN's fraud in GE15 is ’the biggest electoral fraud ever’ and today the voters in Padang Serai and Tioman have given a clear signal that they do not approve of the actions of these two coalitions,” he said.
He claimed that voters are not convinced that PH and BN can helm the country through their coalition government.
“Frustrated by the deception of PH and BN leaders during the GE15 campaign, many supporters of these two parties have switched to supporting PN,” he added.
Despite Muhyiddin's assertion, it is a common practice in the Westminster Parliamentary system for political parties or coalitions to form coalition governments when no simple majority is achieved alone.
Muhyiddin's PN was given a chance by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to form a government if it could command the support of the majority of the Dewan Rakyat, but it failed to provide proof of so.
Consequently, PH and BN formed a coalition government together with Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah which has since been deemed a “unity government”.
PN's newly-elected Padang Serai MP Azman Nasrudin won 51,637 votes compared to his nearest challenger, Mohamad Sofee Razak from PH with 35,377 votes. BN had backed in PH in this election due to its federal coalition government cooperation.
Similarly, PH gave way to BN for its candidate Mohd Johari Hussain, who won 8,080 votes defeating Nor Idayu Hashim with a majority of 573 votes.
PN now holds 74 seats in the Dewan Rakyat.
PH holds 82. Together with BN, GPS and GRS, the government holds 141 out of the 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat.
