PADANG TERAP: The clash between Bersatu and Pas members contesting in the state election proves that all is not well in Perikatan Nasional.
Kedah Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said what transpired during nomination day on Saturday has shown the true colours of the coalition.
"I don't really want to touch on Pas and Bersatu but what transpired during the nomination day proved that there is an internal issue between Pas and Bersatu.
"Somebody used to claim that we don't have a problem, Pas and Bersatu have resolved everything, we have settled the candidates selection but during the nomination day, their true colours emerged.
"Pas contesting in a Bersatu seat, Bersatu contesting in a Pas seat," he told reporters after meeting voters in Kampung Kubang Kenyeng in Pedu here today.
Mahdzir, who is also the BN candidate for Pedu said what happened during the nomination day totally contradicted the spirit of unity in PN as propagated by Pas and Bersatu leaders.
The New Straits Times reported yesterday that two Pas members were contesting as independent candidates for two state seats contested by Barsatu candidates in Langkawi.
The two are Langkawi Pas committee member Safwan Hanif Shafie, 34, who filed his nomination for the Ayer Hangat seat; and Mazlan Ahmad, who is standing as an independent candidate for the Kuah seat.
Ayer Hangat will see a four-cornered battle between PN candidate Shamsilah Siru; Langkawi Umno Wanita wing chief Hisham Suhaily Othman; Safwan and another independent candidate Zulfadli Mohd Yusof, 38.
The seat was held by former Kedah state assembly deputy speaker Datuk Juhari Bulat from Bersatu, who decided not to seek re-election.
Mazlan was a Pas candidate for the Kuah seat in the 14th General Election (GE14) held in 2018, but lost to Bersatu candidate Mohd Firdaus Ahmad in a three-cornered contest. Firdaus had decided not to defend the seat prior to the upcoming state election.
Bersatu's Amar Pared Mahamud is standing as a PN candidate for the Kuah seat, while PH is being represented by PKR's Ahmad Fauzi Chik who joined the party after quitting Umno several months ago.
It was reported that Zulfadli decided to join the race out of protest, after PN disregarded calls by Pas members in Langkawi to field a candidate from the party in the constituency.
Zulfadli, who claimed to be a staunch Pas supporter despite not being a party member, told the NST that his decision to join the state election race stemmed from his frustrations over the poor performance of the current and previous Bersatu elected representatives in Langkawi.
In response, Kedah Pas commissioner Datuk Ahmad Yahaya said the party's central leadership will decide on the fate of two party members in Langkawi.
Ahmad said it would be difficult for Pas members in Langkawi to back the Bersatu candidates in the two constituencies, because they felt hurt by Bersatu's move to break its promise by fielding its candidate in Ayer Hangat.
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