THE straw that broke the camel’s back for Daim Zainuddin was the “cheating” that took place on nomination day last week.

The former finance minister said he was angry at the way PKR candidates Chua Tian Chang, better known as Tian Chua, and Dr Streram Sinnasamy, for the Batu parliamentary seat and the Rantau state seat respectively, were prevented from contesting in the polls.

Daim said the “cheating” at the two nomination centres was the tipping point for him to hit the campaign trail with Pakatan Harapan.

“I had not agreed with the government for some time now but I remained silent. And then during nomination, Tian Chua was disqualified and in Seremban, the candidate was not allowed to even file his papers.

“Where is the democracy is this country? This is why I have come out to support PH,” he told Malaysia Decides in Pekan, Pahang.

He challenged BN chairman Najib Razak to be a “gentleman” and contest fairly instead of hitting below the belt.

“There must be the rule of law. You must respect the opponent. Do not implement the wrong kind of law just to make sure you win. You must be a gentleman and fight,” Daim said.

The former finance minister, known to be a behind-the-scenes operator, has come out in recent days to campaign for the opposition coalition.

He has championed PH candidates such as caretaker Selangor menteri besar Azmin Ali, Lembah Pantai’s PKR candidate Fahmi Fadzil, Pendang candidate Wan Saiful Wan Jan and now in Pekan, Bersatu’s Zahid Mat Arip.

The former banker’s grouse with Najib is that Najib has failed to implement sound financial and economic policies for Malaysia. – May 3, 2018.