MELAKA: DAP should have voiced its objection on Oct 4 when four assemblymen caused the collapse of the Melaka government, says Datuk Seri Idris Haron.

       Idris, who was among the four who had lost confidence in the state government led by then chief minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali, said Melaka DAP assemblymen should not have supported the four if they were against party-hopping.

       “They (DAP) were there at the press conference when we announced that we were quitting the Barisan Nasional/Perikatan Nasional-led state government.

       “Why kick up a fuss now when we should be focusing on the election?” asked Idris, who is standing as Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for Asahan.

       Idris was commenting on a statement by DAP’s organising secretary Anthony Loke that the party was against working with former Umno defectors.

       At a press conference yesterday, Loke said DAP wanted Melaka Amanah chief Adly Zahari to be the coalition’s choice as Chief Minister.

       “DAP has made its stance very clear and we have maintained that stance, but we were outvoted by the other two parties (PKR and Amanah) in the decision,” Loke said.

       Idris urged DAP “to work together to give the people of Melaka a strong and stable government”.

       “Right now, it is not about Idris or (former Pantai Kundor assemblyman Datuk) Nor Azman (Hassan) or who is going to be the Chief Minister,” he added.

       Separately, in a Facebook post, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong took a swipe at DAP for openly denouncing the party-hopping culture, but “they expressed willingness to form a state government with these political frogs at the Oct 4 press conference”.

       “They used the frogs to wrest power, but then dropped the frogs to curry for votes,” Dr Wee wrote in the post, which was accompanied by a picture from the press conference attended by, among others, Idris, Melaka DAP chairman Tey Kok Kiew (also the candidate for Bemban) and Kerk Chee Yee, DAP’s candidate for the Ayer Keroh seat.