A Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia leader has taken issue with the caretaker Selangor government’s decision to scrap the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) project, asking why was the announcement made just days ahead of the Aug 12 state elections.
Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif, who is Bersatu’s legal and constitutional bureau deputy chair, also took issue with Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who recently announced a RM500,000 allocation for Terengganu youths, in which he said that he hoped to see a “red and blue wave” (the colours of Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional) that will change the political landscape in the Pas-dominated state.
“The PJD Link project has been the subject of public anger and objection in the district of Petaling Jaya for some time,” said Sasha Lyna, in a statement to Twentytwo13 this morning.
“However, the Selangor government, under Pakatan Harapan, never gave any indication that it was looking into the possibility of cancelling the project since it was approved in April 2002.”
“It was only on the second day into Selangor’s state election campaign that the (caretaker Selangor) menteri besar, (Datuk Seri) Amirudin Shari announced that the project had been cancelled. Why was this announcement made during the election period and not earlier?” she asked.
Sasha Lyna, who is Perikatan Nasional’s candidate for the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat in Selangor, asked if the caretaker government or the caretaker menteri besar had the authority to make such a decision.
“After the announcement was made (on July 31), various individuals and non-governmental organisations welcomed it, but rightly questioned the validity and legality of such an announcement and undertaking made by the caretaker menteri besar.”
On July 31, senior lawyer Datuk Seri Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos told Twentytwo13 that the state government should have deferred the cancellation to the incoming government, adding that the decision to terminate the project could have severe legal consequences, putting the state government in a bind.
Amirudin, however, was quoted in an Aug 1 report as saying that the project could still go on, if the project met the state government’s requirements.
Sasha Lyna, a lawyer, added: “Now, to everyone’s shock and disgust, less than 24 hours after the announcement, Pakatan Harapan once again made a drastic U-turn.
“Yesterday, Amirudin suddenly announced that the PJD Link project may be revived if the developer met the requirements and standards outlined by the state government. Is he playing the fool with the hearts and minds of Petaling Jaya voters? Or is this the sort of unprincipled campaigning being practiced by Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (BN)?”
She added that Amirudin, who is also standing as a candidate in Sungai Tua, had no business making such promises in the midst of an election campaign.
“On the eve of the nomination day, the deputy prime minister announced an allocation of RM500,000 to several youth groups in Terengganu. Again, this is an abuse of basic fair election rules by a caretaker minister.”
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim came to Ahmad Zahid’s defence on July 30, saying that the allocation had been planned earlier, that it had nothing to do with the state elections, and that it was announced before the nomination day.
Sasha Lyna added that her party was “appalled by the unprincipled campaigning” allegedly carried out by Pakatan Harapan and BN.
“We urge all candidates to conduct a clean campaign and focus on what the candidates can do for their constituents if they win. These are the very election abuses that Pakatan Harapan and Bersih used to complain about.
“Now Pakatan Harapan and BN are perpetrating the same abuses. We urge them to stop this type of cheap and unfair campaigning and contest fairly in these elections,” she added.
