GE14 | PKR deputy president Azmin Ali has defended PKR Wangsa Maju candidate Tan Yee Kew, who forgot to bring her MyKad during her nomination yesterday.

"She was so excited (that she forgot the necessary document), but she made it. So, don't worry," he said when met at a welfare event in Gombak organised by Koperasi Serbaguna Imam Malaysia today.

He was asked to respond to criticism on blunders committed by Harapan candidates that had led to their disqualification and missing out on the general election.

"You are blaming (her) for being a forgetful person by not bringing her IC? But, it is okay to be a thief? Which is more serious?” he asked.

"You can tolerate a thief, but you can't tolerate someone who left her IC behind while in a few minutes, nomination would close. Please, we have bigger things to address," said the caretaker Selangor menteri besar.

The Election Commission eventually accepted Tan's nomination for the Wangsa Maju seat although her MyKad was produced only after the nomination period ended at 10am.

Some critics have questioned Harapan's ability to rule the country, given the blunders committed yesterday.

EC is responsible

On this matter, Azmin said he held the EC responsible for causing the opposition to lose six seats as a result.

"The role of the EC is to facilitate the process of elections, not make things difficult for the candidates," he said.

Azmin was referring to the Batu parliamentary seat and five state seats, included Rantau, Tawang, Bukit Pasir, Penaga and Kuala Balah. 

PKR's candidate in Batu, Tian Chua, was disqualified due to a RM2,000 fine imposed on him last month, although a similar fine in 2010 did not get him disqualified from contesting in the last general election.

Tian Chua will challenge the EC's decision in court. 

Bersatu's candidate for the Bukit Pasir state seat in Johor and the Penaga state seat in Penang were disqualified due to bankruptcy. PKR lost Kuala Balah on the same grounds.

PKR's Mohd Azihan Che Seman was disqualified in Tawang on grounds that his identity card address was not in Kelantan, which is a prerequisite to contest in a state seat there.

In the state seat of Rantau, PKR's Dr S Streram was denied entry into the nomination centre because the EC said he did not have his pass with him. Streram claims, however, that he was not provided a pass. 

According to Azmin, Harapan's candidates had gone rigorous processes to make sure they were not bankrupt, and they were only "made bankrupt" by the commission at the eleventh hour. 

"In the case of Rantau, our candidate has the letter of appointment (issued by the parties), why deny him entry?" 

"This is the result of BN is getting desperate to win," he said.