Gerakan skips Johor polls on ‘pragmatic considerations’

PETALING JAYA: Gerakan said its decision to sit out the upcoming Johor polls was made after taking into account its preparedness, among others, in disputing claims it was due to dissatisfaction with the seats it was allotted.

In a statement, Gerakan vice-president Koo Shiaw Lee said the party also factored in its ability to mobilise the grassroots and the allocation of funds.

“The decision (not to contest in the Johor polls) was based on pragmatic considerations,” he said, adding that it was a unanimous decision.

Koo went on to say that the seats they were allocated were the ones that the party’s Johor chapter had proposed earlier.

Gerakan’s decision to pull out of the polls therefore had nothing to do with the party being forced to accept tough seats or linked to seat negotiations as claimed in a news report, he said.

“We encourage the public against trusting such unverified and speculative reports and refer to our official statement.”

Earlier today, Malaysiakini reported that Johor Gerakan would skip the July 11 polls, with the state’s chair, Teo Kok Chee, describing it as a “collective, rational choice that prioritises Perikatan Nasional’s broader interests”.

Gerakan contested eight seats at the last Johor polls, but failed to win any.