IPOH, May 27 — Perak Opposition Leader Abdul Aziz Bari sees nothing wrong in offering himself as a candidate to run for the Tambun parliamentary seat in the next general election.
The Tebing Tinggi assemblyman had been chided by his Pakatan Harapan (PH) ally from Amanah who told him to “respect” their coalition's seat negotiation process.
“I have only expressed my interest. What is wrong with that? “And as far as I'm concerned as the state Opposition leader, there is no negotiation going on in this matter as claimed by Khairol. So what is there to trouble the negotiation process?” he told reporters when met at his home in Pengkalan Tiara here.
Aziz Bari was asked his response to Perak Amanah Youth chief Khairol Najib Hashim.
The DAP politician said he offered to run for the greater parliamentary seat as he believed he has the right qualities needed.
“As a former state executive committee chairman, the current state Opposition leader and state DAP vice-chairman, I view myself as the right candidate.
“The seat is currently held a person who hold a minister post in the Cabinet, so the person who contest against him should has the same calibre or an equal match,” he added.
Aziz Bari highlighted his Tambun experience, saying he had been connecting with the local communities there over the past two years and had made himself available to the area residents and civil servants and the problems they faced.
“I have met several non-governmental organisations, and even the members of PKR and Amanah from the constituency welcomes me.
“Plus, the public are tired and angry with 'helicopter candidates'. They want someone who can get to the ground and solve their problems and we can’t only be doing the work just a day before the election,” he said.
Aziz Bari also said he will still defend his Tebing Tinggi state seat even if given the chance to contest the Tambun parliamentary seat in the 15th general election that must be held by next year.
“In DAP, this is not an issue,” he said.
He pointed out that Perak has 24 parliamentary seats and that PH controls half with the other 12 held by other parties.
“I only intended to contest in one of the 12 seats and not all. So what is the issue?” he asked, and pointed out that DAP holds seven seats, PKR three, and Amanah the remaining two.
Aziz Bari, who is also the state DAP vice-chairman, said that the Tambun parliamentary seat does not currently belong to any of the PH component parties.
“I mean one can only claim the seat if they win or held it. You can contest for the seat for 10 times and if you didn’t win then no point.
“Previously, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu won the seat under PH, but Bersatu left the coalition already. So in the context of PH the seat is still open,” he said.
