Ramli: Harapan threatened my people, what is there to debate?

CAMERON POLLS | BN’s Cameron Highlands candidate Ramli Mohd Nor has explained why he declined electoral reform group Bersih’s offer to participate in a live debate among candidates.

“What is there to debate? They threatened my people to take away their salary.

“Why should I debate?” he told the media when asked about the matter after a ceramah held in his village of Kampung Mensun, Pos Mensun.

Yesterday, PKR senator Bob Manolan Mohd had warned Orang Asli tok batin (village chiefs) that their salaries and jobs would be cut if they did not back Pakatan Harapan.

Asked why he had not signed Bersih’s pledge to conduct a clean election campaign, Ramli believed that he did not need to.

“You tell me, my opposition – Pakatan Harapan – are they clean?

“Myself, I can assure you, I will be clean,” he said.

The other three candidates for the by-election, Harapan’s M Manogaran as well as independents Sallehudin Ab Talib and Wong Seng Yee, have all signed the pledge and agreed to a live debate.

Bob Manolan yesterday said that the tok batin could lose their posts and income if they did not support the Harapan government.

He later clarified that he meant the village chiefs should not be involved with Umno while receiving an allowance from Putrajaya, due to a conflict of interest.

However, he did not refer to his comment about depriving the tok batin of their posts or salaries, which was caught in an audio recording.

Several tok batin whom Malaysiakini spoke to were also outraged by the comments, which they said were belittling.

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