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| GHB with Johor Opposition leaders |
“Johor will be the frontline state with Melaka and Negeri Sembilan as anchor states for Gerakan Harapan Baru going forward towards the 14th general elections,” said the movement’s secretary Dr Dzulkely Ahmad.
Met at GHB’s Johor open
house here at Taman Universiti yesterday, the former Kuala Selangor MP said
that they had not expected such overwhelming support in the locations where
they had held their roadshows.
“Last night we were in a
small village in Pontian called Ayer Baloi and there were quite a few hundred
people listening to us,” he said.
Together with him at Ayer
Baloi were GHB’s top leadership including former PAS deputy president and now
GHB chairman, Mohamad Sabu, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, PAS lawyer Hanipah Maidin,
Suhaizan Kaiyat, Dr Hatta Ramli and others. Also in attendance was DAP supremo,
Lim Kit Siang and PKR Johor chief Hassan Karim with their respective leaders
and supporters.
“We feel the silent
majority wants to have their say in light of all the controversies such as
1MDB, the questionable RM2.6 billion that was in the Prime Minister’s account
that has yet to be satisfactorily explained by the PM himself, the depreciating
currency and many other issues that has left ordinary people in despair,” he said.
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| Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, GHB Secretary |
“But we are not unfamiliar
faces so we have the Pas people coming to meet and listen to us and we have youths
who are new to politics and who’ve taken an interest in the backdrop of the crisis
that the country is facing; and this crisis is hurting them,” Dr Dzulkefly
added.
“There is a good mix of
races, ages and income levels; from the rural to the urban that are interested
and hopefully they’ll see us as a shot in the arm,” he added.
“We are however
disappointed that PAS has chosen to criticize us harshly, using words like
‘barua’ (slave) of DAP which is uncalled for.
“We are moving ahead with
the policies that were agreed to by PAS itself in the Pakatan coalition and
which they reversed at the last muktamar.
“PAS needs to be more
mature in its politics, and not emulate Umno in its level of attacks,” he
added.
“Islam is still our clarion
call; an Islam that is universal, that is inclusive, that believes in justice
for all, that is fair, regardless of race and religion,” he said.
The
open house also saw the introduction of the Johor Gerakan Harapan Baru committee
headed by its chairman, YB Hj Aminolhuda Hassan Assemblyman
for Parit Yaani aided by three deputies, Dzulkifli Ahmad, Mazlan Aliman who is also president of Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (ANAK) and former PAS youth chief Suhaizan Kayat.
Newly minted GHB Johor president said that although it’s too early to gauge the level of support, but there is certainly an increase in awareness of GHB in areas where they have had their roadshows.
“Last night we were in Pontian and for a small village to come out to hear us was encouraging,” he said.
Gerakan Harapan Baru’s chairman Mohamad Sabu, popularly referred to as Mat Sabu said that the political situation in Johor has changed significantly.
“Since the 2008 and 2013 general elections, Johor is no longer the bastion of Umno and Barisan Nasional,” he said when met at the sidelines of the Gerakan Harapan Baru Hari Raya Open House.
“There is a change in the mindet of Johor’s youths who are working in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and elsewhere and because of this, Johor has great potential for the new Pakatan Rakyat together with GHB to win more seats at the next general election when compared with other states,” Mohamad Sabu said.
“Coupled with the political turmoil surrounding the removal of the deputy Umno president and former deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, we feel that Johor is ready for change, but there must be a Pakatan Rakyat as no party will be able to affect change in the state without this coalition,” he added.
