Representatives from DAP and Bersatu are not among the opposition members who will be signing an agreement with PKR-linked electoral activism and research body Invoke at an event in Subang Jaya, Selangor tonight.

Of the 30 representatives listed as inking the pledge with Invoke to declare their assets for the 14th general election (GE14), 20 are from PKR, nine from Amanah and one from PAS.

The lone PAS man signing the agreement with Invoke is Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar (left in photo).

Explaining the absence of DAP representatives, Invoke founder Rafizi Ramli said DAP had not been the focus of Invoke’s campaign, which aims to sway fence-sitters in marginal seats to vote against BN.

“It is very difficult to convince the public to come forward and to join and help our campaign and become volunteers, if we (get involved in all seats) because what’s the point of helping Petaling Jaya Utara?

“Same thing in Pandan. Not a single penny had gone to Pandan because these are not marginal seats. So, we have not been helping DAP at all,” Rafizi told reporters when asked.

Petaling Jaya Utara is a parliamentary seat won by DAP’s Tony Pua with a strong 44,672-vote majority in the 2013 general election, while Rafizi won Pandan with a 26,729-vote majority.

As for Bersatu, Rafizi said the party had already been briefed about Invoke’s initiative, but faced several difficulties.

He pointed out that with only one MP and one state assemblyperson, Bersatu does not have as many incumbent elected representatives as PKR or Amanah.

In addition, the party does not have any "traditional seats" unlike its coalition allies, and seat negotiations within the coalition are still ongoing.

“A majority of the (prospective) candidates today are those who are incumbent, and their seats have already been negotiated, so there is no question of jumping the gun,” he said.

As such, Rafizi said Bersatu will need more time to reach a decision. He said there would also be more prospective candidates signing up to Invoke’s initiative each month, and he is certain that Bersatu would join once seat negotiations have been completed.

This would also create peer pressure for other prospective candidates to join as well, he said.

Under the agreement with Invoke, candidates for GE14 will get election funding and campaign support from the NGO and its volunteers, in exchange for them declaring their assets and pledging to a reform agenda.

Among others, Rafizi (right in photo) said data collected by Invoke would be harnessed to identify potential fence-sitters in marginal seats, and volunteers would be tasked to meet or contact them with a prepared script to canvass their votes.

Candidates who violate the agreement, including by betraying Pakatan Harapan, can be fined RM20 million.

The statutory declarations listing the prospective candidates’ assets are expected to be uploaded on Invoke’s website tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Mahfuz said he is declaring his assets and signing the agreement with Invoke not because he is a prospective candidate, but because he had an obligation to do so as an incumbent MP.

“Whether I am a candidate or not is to be determined in the future. What is important now is that as an MP, I should show my transparency to the people,” he said.

To a question, he said he had not informed his party of his intention to sign the agreement with Invoke and declare his assets.

When asked if he fears repercussions from his party, he said he had done no wrong and merely showed that he is not afraid of being questioned by the public.

The following is a list of those who are supposed to sign the agreement tonight.

PKR
Saifuddin Nasution Ismail - PKR secretary-general
Johari Abdul - Sungai Petani MP
G Manivanan - Kapar MP
Fuziah Salleh - Kuantan MP
Admiral (R) Imran Abdul Hamid - Lumut MP
Wong Chen - Kelana Jaya MP
Abdullah Sani Abdu Hamid - Hulu Langat MP
Rodziah Ismail - Batu Tiga assemblyperson
Azan Ismail - Bandar assemblyperson
Aminuddin Harun - Sikamat assemblyperson
Dr Idris Ahmad - Ijok assemblyperson
Ooi Tze Min - Bakar Arang assemblyperson
Lee Chean Chung - Semambu assemblyperson
Tan Kar Hing - Simpang Pulai assemblyperson
Tan Yee Kew - PKR treasurer
Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh - PKR information chief
Maktar Shapee - Sungai Bakap assemblyperson
Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad - PKR Youth chief, Seri Setia assemblyperson
Chang Lih Kang - Teja assemblyperson
Kesavan Subramaniam - Hutan Melintang assemblyperson

Amanah
Mohamad Sabu - Amanah president
Salahuddin Ayub - Amanah deputy president
Khalid Samad - Amanah communications director, Shah Alam MP
Mujahid Yusof Rawa - Amanah vice-president, Parit Buntar MP
Hatta Ramli - Amanah elections director, Kuala Krai MP
Saari Sungib - Hulu Kelang assemblyperson
Hasnul Baharuddin - Morib assemblyperson
Ismail Salleh - Former Alor Mengkudu assemblyperson
Dzulkefly Ahmad - Amanah strategy director

PAS
Mahfuz Omar - Pokok Sena MP

However, Mohamad, Dzulkefly, Chang, Nik Nazmi, and Kesavan were not present at tonight’s event.

Rafizi said Chang, Nik Nazmi, and Kesavan had already signed and submitted their statutory declarations, but could not come to sign the agreement today due to last-minute changes to the timing.

The event today was originally supposed to be held in Bangsar yesterday, he said, but the venue owner suddenly decided to pull out.

As for Mohamad, Rafizi said the Amanah leader is currently overseas, while Dzulkefly’s asset declaration is still being finalised.