DAP vice-chairman Teresa Kok has confirmed that she will not be sharing the campaign stage with Umno Youth chief Dr. Muhamad Akmal Saleh during the upcoming Mahkota by-election in Johor. This decision comes as Kok is in the process of suing Akmal, which complicates any potential collaboration on the campaign trail.
Kok, who is also the Seputeh Member of Parliament, told Malaysiakini that her legal team had already issued a letter of demand to Akmal, signaling the initial steps of a lawsuit. The legal teams from both sides are currently in communication, and Kok has been advised to avoid any public engagements that could interfere with the legal proceedings.
I will not be appearing on any ceramah (campaign speech) stage with Akmal. This decision is not only important for my legal case, but it also serves the best interests of the unity government's election campaign, Kok stated.
Her comments came after some had suggested that both Kok and Akmal might campaign together ahead of the by-election, set for September 28. However, Kok's legal situation has made that scenario unlikely.
Yesterday, Johor DAP vice-chairman Teo Nie Ching told Sinar Harian that she did not have the authority to decide whether Kok would join the campaign and that the election director would make the final decision. Teo added that she was uncertain if Kok would be involved in the campaign.
Meanwhile, Barisan Nasional’s (BN) campaign in Mahkota is being spearheaded by Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, with Deputy Works Minister Ahmad Maslan serving as his deputy. The Mahkota by-election has drawn significant attention following the death of its incumbent assemblywoman, Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, on August 2.
The tension between Kok and Akmal stems from remarks Akmal made, which Kok deemed defamatory. On September 11, Kok sent a legal notice to Akmal demanding RM25 million in damages. The remarks in question included Akmal referring to Kok as Nyonya tua (old Nyonya), a term considered disrespectful, and suggesting that she should have a non-halal logo placed on her forehead. Following these comments, Seputeh DAP Youth also filed a police report against Akmal.
The controversy surrounding Akmal's remarks has raised concerns about its potential impact on Chinese voter support for BN's candidate, Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah, who is defending the Mahkota seat. Chinese voters represent 34 percent of the electorate in Mahkota, making them a key demographic in the upcoming by-election.
In response to the controversy, Teo Nie Ching called on voters to focus on the collective leadership of the unity government rather than the actions of any individual leader. She argued that it would be unfair to penalize the entire coalition over a single person’s remarks.
Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz echoed this sentiment, urging Chinese voters to take into account the broader political picture and the needs of the state, rather than focusing solely on issues at the federal level.
The Mahkota by-election has therefore become a focal point not only for the state but also for national politics, as both sides of the political spectrum navigate the delicate balance between individual controversies and the broader goals of their respective coalitions.
Mathilda Binti is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.