MELAKA: A DAP assemblyman says he will start protesting if Melaka Pakatan Harapan goes ahead and fields independent Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee as a candidate in the upcoming state election.

       Kota Laksamana representative Low Chee Leong said the Pengkalan Batu assemblyman is seen as a liability to Pakatan if he contests under the coalition's banner.

       "I am happy that DAP had openly rejected Norhizam from joining the party but our partners in Pakatan may field him as a candidate.

       "Hopefully, Pakatan leaders in the state also consider our feelings when offering a state seat to him (Norhizam)," he said on Tuesday (Oct 19).

       Earlier, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is on a visit to Melaka on Tuesday (Oct 19) said the party would not accept Norhizam back.

       Norhizam was the Melaka DAP deputy chairman when he defected to the Barisan Nasional/Perikatan Nasional-led state government in March, last year.

       He then defected from the ruling state government along with three other assemblymen on Oct 14, leading to the state assembly being dissolved and a state election being called for Nov 20.

       Low said it's not right for Pakatan to accept those who had betrayed the coalition.

       "I don't understand why Pakatan leaders in the state still courting him as if we don't have any other candidates," he said.

       On Monday (Oct 18), Norhizam and the other three assemblymen who caused the state government to collapse on Oct 4 were given a warm reception during a Pakatan event.

       The three other assemblymen - Datuk Seri Idris Haron and Nor Azman Hassan, both Umno detectors and former Parti Bersatu Pribumi man Noor Effandi Ahmad - were also seen in the event and reportedly vying to contest in the Melaka election as Pakatan candidates.

       However, Melaka Pakatan chief Adly Zahari said any decision on letting the quartet contest under the coalition would be made by the presidential council.

       Meanwhile, when interviewed Norhizam asked Low to mind his own business.

       "Even Melaka DAP chairman Datuk Tey Kok Kiew had never commented negatively about me.

       "Low is not the state Pakatan or DAP chief to discourage my entry into the coalition," he said.

       Norhizam said he had been accepted by PKR and he will go ahead to contest in the state election under Pakatan's banner.

       "Pakatan felt I am priceless," he added.