Pakatan Harapan candidate Jason Tze-Xi Nathan crossed paths with former DAP colleague Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee in Pengkalan Batu, choosing to focus on a clean campaign.
MELAKA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Pengkalan Batu state seat, Jason Tze-Xi Nathan, showed that political differences need not stand in the way of mutual respect when he crossed paths with former DAP colleague Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee during his campaign rounds in Kampung Solok Musai today.
Jason, who is facing a four-cornered contest against Norhizam, a former Pengkalan Batu assemblyman now representing Bersatu, took time to mingle with residents and members of Norhizam’s campaign team who were having a meal at the ‘Warung Eh Lama X Nampak’ eatery.
The national committee member of DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) said that although the two had taken different political paths, they continued to respect each other, having previously worked together in DAP.
“I have visited his house during Hari Raya and met him on several occasions because he was one of my leaders in DAP. We met at the nomination centre, had a chat and our relationship remains cordial.
“To me, this is part of the democratic process, and anyone who meets the criteria has the right to contest. The people have the right to assess what each candidate has to offer and decide whether to vote for them,” he told reporters after meeting residents in Kampung Solok Musai here.
Jason said he would not be drawn into personal attacks or attempts to question his opponents’ track records, choosing instead to focus on presenting his own service offer to about 26,000 voters in the constituency.
“I am not contesting out of hostility, and I do not view my opponents in a negative light. I am focusing on my own campaign, presenting my profile and showing residents what I can offer.
“I will not attack other candidates or question whether previous elected representatives fulfilled their promises. This is about me and what I am offering, and I hope to be given the opportunity to serve the voters here, if given the chance,” he said.
The other two candidates in the Pengkalan Batu contest are Siti Aisyah Mahmood of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Goh Han Koon of Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama).
Polling is on Nov 14, with early voting set for Nov 10.