AFP pic
PETALING JAYA: Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah has announced she is quitting the election reform body to contest in the coming 14th general election (GE14).
Her announcement puts to rest recent speculation on whether she would get involved in politics.
“I have decided to resign from Bersih 2.0 as the chair and to take on a new challenge in the political arena.
“I am offering myself as a candidate for this coming PRU14 as an independent to Pakatan Harapan,” she said in a short statement accompanying a media invite issued for her press conference this Tuesday.
The press conference will be held at the office of human rights group North-South Initiative.
Maria ended the invite with: “I look forward to your support and presence.”
It has been speculated that Maria would replace either PKR vice-president Tian Chua in the Batu parliamentary constituency or his party colleague, Hee Loy Sian, in Petaling Jaya Selatan.
Maria was detained for 10 days under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) on Nov 18, 2016, a day before the Bersih 5 rally.
Her lawyers filed the application to free her on Nov 22 and the government was given time to file an affidavit as to the grounds for detention.
However, she was released about 4.30pm on Nov 28, a day before her application was scheduled to be heard.
She is the second prominent non-politician to announce joining active politics in recent days.
Political analyst Wan Saiful Wan Jan officially joined PPBM on March 1.
He announced his decision to become a life member of the Umno splinter party before Muhyiddin, who is PPBM president, deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir and other party leaders.
Wan Saiful just resigned as the founding chief executive officer of Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS). He had been heading the think tank he founded since 2009.
Wan Saiful joined PAS in 1997 and founded IDEAS with two friends more than nine years ago after returning from London.
Maria Chin remains coy over contesting in GE14
Wan Saiful ready to face critics for making U-turn and joining PPBM
lagi info di : Gosip Artis Terkini