BERSIH 2.0 has called on Barisan Nasional’s Rantau candidate, Mohamad Hasan, to participate in a debate organised by the polls watchdog ahead of the by-election next month.

Chairman Thomas Fann said debates serve as a platform for candidates to make known what they can offer voters.

“I urge Mohamad to take up this challenge. It is not a debate where you have a winner and a loser, or one that sees candidates being put in an awkward position.

“It is a platform for the candidates to state their positions, views and commitments regarding the constituency they are contesting in,” he told a press conference at the Bersih headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

He said debates can also show whether candidates would be able to hold their own in the state assembly or Parliament.

“We will continue this in Rantau. We will invite political parties to participate in a debate during the by-election period.”

In the recent Semenyih polls, Pakatan Harapan candidate Muhammad Aiman Zainali and BN’s Zakaria Hanafi turned down Bersih’s debate invitation.

Aiman had said he wanted to focus on meeting constituents.

The Election Commission has announced that the Rantau by-election will take place on April 13, with nomination to be on March 30. It will be the seventh by-election since the 14th general election last May.

The polls were called after the Federal Court dismissed an appeal by Umno acting president Mohamad to reject the election court’s decision on November 16 last year to nullify his victory in the state seat.

Mohamad had won uncontested after PH’s Dr S. Streram was denied entry into the nomination centre because he did not have a pass issued by the EC.

Umno yesterday confirmed that Mohamad will be fielded once more in Rantau. – March 8, 2019.