After backing Amanah candidate, Puad endorses PKR’s Maszlee

JOHOR BAHRU: Former Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi has publicly endorsed Pakatan Harapan’s Puteri Wangsa candidate, Maszlee Malik, for the Johor state election, saying the ex-education minister is qualified to be an assemblyman.

“We need people like him in the state assembly. We need assemblymen with brains,” he told reporters at a dialogue with youths at Felda Ulu Tiram last night.

Puad, however, expects to be criticised for backing another PH candidate, but said he had every right to campaign for Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition.

“I know I will be criticised, but they (detractors) have to understand that I have left Umno. They cannot be angry with me. It is my right to be here,” he said.

Yesterday, Puad, who previously served as the Rengit assemblyman and Johor state assembly speaker, endorsed PH’s candidate Yazid Bakri of Amanah for the Rengit seat in the July 11 polls.

Umno’s Khairy Jamaluddin has since suggested that Puad’s decision to back Yazid could have come about “because he is disappointed”, alluding to the claim that Puad resigned from Umno on June 25 because his son was not chosen as a candidate.

Asked whether he would campaign for other PH candidates, Puad said he had no immediate plans and would focus on Rengit instead.

He also dismissed speculation that he would join PKR or any other party, saying he did not wish to be tied to another political outfit.

“I have a special mission that I need to focus on,” he said, without elaborating.

The former Batu Pahat MP also endorsed PH’s plans to make the southern state the “Shenzhen of Southeast Asia”, adding that he was confident that Anwar, who is the prime minister, could deliver on the promise.

On a separate matter, Puad said authorities returned his mobile phone on Friday. He declined to reveal if he had his statement taken.

Police have launched an investigation into him, including for sedition and defamation, over a statement he made on social media.