GEORGE TOWN: Muda might take on the opposition’s role should Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional form the government in Penang, its president, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, said.
The Muar MP said that personally, he would like the party to be the “people’s conscience” and serve as a proper alternative and opposition power.
“Perikatan Nasional will not talk about checks and balances, decentralisation of power and institutional reforms. It will be Muda that does that,” he told reporters after delivering a ceramah at Taman Pantai Jerejak here tonight.
Syed Saddiq said this when asked whether Muda would back the ruling coalition or sit in the opposition bloc should it win seats in the state on Aug 12. The party is currently backing the unity government at the federal level.
Muda is contesting three seats in Penang – Pantai Jerejak, Perai and Batu Uban.
Syed Saddiq also said that in the event of a hung assembly, the party would side with a coalition that is reform-centric, moderate and champions multiracialism.
Earlier, in his speech, Syed Saddiq hit out at some quarters from PH who are stoking fears that Muda would split the votes in multiracial seats to PN’s advantage.
He said Muda is only contesting in three out of 40 seats. He said PN did not win many votes in the last general election in parliamentary constituencies where these state seats are.
“Don’t engage in fear-mongering. The battle here is among Muda, PN and PH. But they (PH) have been too comfortable – they see moderate Malaysians as their safe deposit.
“They (PH) feel that Malaysians want diversity and reforms. They scare the voters so that they will be left with no choice but to choose (PH). That is not the kind of politics that Muda aspires for.”