FORMER Otai Reformis secretary Abdul Razak Ismail said the results of the Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections today would indicate the public’s acceptance of the unity government’s performance. 

He said the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) government must be able to clinch comfortable victories in both seats, which are Amanah strongholds. 

He, however, said any change in the results would serve as a sign that voters were rejecting the unity government. 

“These seats are supposed to be Amanah’s stronghold, but if there are any changes, even to the majority or turnout, it means voters are punishing the unity government for what they have done,” Razak told The Malaysian Insight, referring to the attorney general’s decision to drop the corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the Yayasan Akalbudi case. 

On Monday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted Zahid a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) on all 47 counts of corruption, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds. 

The same court had ruled in January that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Zahid. 

“If this issue is played out well (during campaigning), Perikatan Nasional (PN) can take advantage of the situation,” Razak said. 

“If they (PH) lose the seats, then surely that will be a referendum after what happened in Zahid’s case.” 

The Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections, which will be held today, were triggered by the death of Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub on July 23. 

In last year’s general election, Salahuddin won the Pulai parliamentary seat by a 33,174 vote-majority in a three-cornered battle, defeating BN’s Nur Jazlan Mohamed and PN’s Loh Kah Yong. Almost 71% of the 165,313 registered voters came out to cast their ballots. 

In Simpang Jeram, Salahuddin won a four-cornered fight by 2,399 vote-margin, where only close to 22,000 of the 40,000 registered electorate turned out to vote. 

Both seats will witness three-cornered contests today involving PH, PN, and Independent candidates.

Taking a swipe at Anwar, Razak said the prime minister had started backtracking on reforms, which the Tambun lawmaker’s party, PKR, used to champion ever since he appointed Zahid as deputy prime minister. 

He said Anwar was willing to do it to be in power. 

“Just because you want to capture and maintain the support of 26 MPs from Umno, you sacrifice your principles and the party’s principles, which championed reforms. 

“Anwar speaks about anti-corruption, good governance and more, but in the end, we have such results as this (Zahid’s DNAA). 

“How can the Attorney General’s Chambers request to withdraw the charges when a prima facie case was established? It is very peculiar,” Razak said.

Carry out reforms 

Now that Zahid has been given a DNAA, former PKR lawmaker Chua Tian Chang – better known as Tian Chua – is urging the Anwar Ibrahim administration to start carrying out the promised reforms. 

“The government now has no more burdens, since none of its ministers have court cases against them. 

“They now have to get on with their real business, which is to support reforms. The people will judge them on that. 

“How do we separate power between the judiciary and the executive? That’s more important,” the reformasi activist – who had fought alongside Anwar before being expelled from PKR – told The Malaysian Insight. 

“Yesterday, we were criticising Dr Mahathir (Mohamad). Today, we might be criticising Anwar; in the future it will be someone else. 

“The rakyat will continue to make noise but nothing will happen because so long as law enforcement agencies are used for political interests and are not independent, there will always be an issue,” he said. 

Tian Chua urged Malaysians to demand reforms instead of wasting time asking for explanations of Zahid’s DNAA. 

“The demand should be to get on with reforms where the AG’s Chambers and the judiciary must have their independence,” he said. – September 9, 2023.