Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari has defended Pakatan Harapan amidst criticism that it employed BN-like tactics in the Balakong and Seri Setia by-elections.

“To be honest, I can say we tried our best to reduce unfairness or the use of government assets (to campaign).

“Nevertheless, we will take note and study Bersih’s warnings so that such untoward incidents won’t happen again,” Amirudin said when asked by the media in Shah Alam today.

This was in response to the claim by electoral reform NGO Bersih that Harapan, like BN had done before, used government machinery and offered freebies in both by-election campaigns.

In its election observer report, Bersih recorded instances of several Harapan ministers allegedly using government cars to attend campaign activities in Balakong.

It also claimed Harapan had distributed free food, drinks and T-shirts during the Seri Setia by-election.

However, Harapan was not the only party to have allegedly committed such election offences. Opposition parties PAS and MCA had done so too, Bersih claimed.

Harapan’s Wong Siew Ki and Halimey Abu Bakar eventually won the Balakong and Seri Setia seats respectively.

Amirudin satisfied with PKR elections

On a separate matter, Amirudin, who is an incumbent PKR supreme council member, said he was satisfied with how the PKR leadership elections were being conducted, following adjustments by the internal elections committee (JPP).

“I thought after a few (voting) sessions, especially the last session in Johor, the results were very good and they (JPP) corrected many things...

“...we just (need to) prepare for the next sessions in Selangor and Sabah. In both states we expect a bigger turnout for every division.

“The JPP has to be ready for that,” he said.

The start of the PKR elections had been marred with technical issues and fracas, resulting in the postponement of the results in four states.

Much less disruption was seen in the Johor elections last Sunday, which saw incumbent deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, who Amirudin is seen to be aligned with, take the lead.

Kelantan and Terengganu PKR members vote today.

Sabah PKR will vote on Oct 14, 21 and 28 while Sabah divisions will vote on Nov 3 and 4.

Amirudin had earlier hosted a high-tea session with the media to thank them for their service in his first 100 days in office.