MUDA president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman did not win the Muar parliamentary seat on his own merit, said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke.

Loke said Syed Saddiq only retained the seat with the help of Pakatan Harapan (PH) after the youth-based party had formed an electoral partnership with the coalition prior to the general election.

“I have to remind Syed Saddiq he won on an understanding with PH,” the transport minister told reporters today at the DAP national convention in Putrajaya today.

“He did not win Muar on his own merit. He won because there was an electoral understanding with PH.

“We (PH) did not put our candidate there. DAP support went to him. We campaigned for him.

“Muar is not a victory for Muda per se. It is not in his ability alone to have won Muar,” said Loke.

Last week, Syed Saddiq irked the DAP leadership with a post calling its leaders lapdogs of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Muda president also called DAP, a component of Pakatan Harapan government, “hypocritical”, “power crazy” and “having no principles”.

Syed Saddiq’s remark came after DAP vice-president Nga Kor Ming suggested the former should be more professional and refrain from airing his discontent over Zahid’s discharge not amounting to an acquittal in his corruption trial.

“I agree with (former health minister) Khairy Jamaluddin. DAP has become Zahid’s lapdog.

“Hypocritical. Power-crazy. Unprincipled,” the former youth and sports minister posted on X.

Syed Saddiq then threatened to withdraw support for the unity government.

He said his party would not hesitate to reevaluate its position in the unity government if the Attorney-General’s Chambers failed to explain its decision to withdraw 47 corruption charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

If Syed Saddiq pulls support, the unity government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will lose its two-thirds majority in parliament.

Following Suhaizan Kaiat’s victory in Pulai yesterday, the PH-Barisan Nasional unity bloc has 148 seats in parliament.

Loke said Muda was given six seats to contest in the general election and PH ensured there were no clashes in these constituencies.

He said Syed Saddiq was only able to win because PH votes went to him.

“He (Syed Saddiq) won representing PH although he did not contest under the PH banner, so he has an obligation to ensure the votes he obtained also support the unity government.

“Let me remind him he has a responsibility too (to back the unity government) because he won with PH votes,” said Loke. – September 10 , 2023.