MELAKA: Pakatan Harapan has pledged to conduct a peaceful campaign throughout the Melaka election, having learnt that electoral victory should not be determined by who shouts the loudest, but by who earns the people’s trust.
Its secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said PH had drawn a firm line against the politics of hatred and division, with the aim of ensuring peaceful political competition without undermining racial harmony.
He said the coalition had outlined three key messages for its campaign namely respecting differences of opinion in a democracy, ensuring the contest remained free from slander and personal attacks, and offering solutions through its election manifesto.
“Our red line is that we completely reject the politics of hatred and division, as well as the belief that defending our own race requires us to oppress others, or that for our race to succeed, other communities must have no place.
“We reject this outright. This is our campaign principle and our red line,” he said at a press conference at the PH Melaka main operations centre here today.
Also present were Melaka PKR chairman Adam Adli and DAP representative Young Syefura Othman.
Saifuddin said the first message would be reflected in PH’s commitment to peaceful campaigning, adding that electoral victory should not be determined by who shouted the loudest, but by who earned the people’s trust.
He said the second message was aimed at ensuring the campaign did not become a platform for slander or personal attacks, allowing voters to assess the proposals put forward by each candidate.
“This is not a contest of slander, much less a competition over who can launch the strongest personal attacks.
“It is about choosing ideas, policies, track records, solutions to problems and the people’s welfare,” he said.
On the third message, Saifuddin said PH would elaborate on its proposals through its election manifesto, which would be launched soon.
He said the manifesto would include measures to create employment opportunities and address issues concerning the future of young people.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said PH was fielding 24 candidates from its three component parties: 10 from PKR and seven each from DAP and Amanah.
He said the coalition was offering a combination of experienced candidates and new faces whom it believed could put forward meaningful proposals to voters in their respective constituencies.
Saifuddin said PH’s campaign slogan, “Melaka Rumah Kita” (Melaka Our Home), reflected its vision of the state as a peaceful and harmonious place where people of different races, religions and cultures could live together.