The Election Commission (EC) clarified that it had never said that any individual who wants to use the PKR logo in the general election must get the approval of the EC.
EC chairman Tan Sri Mohd Hashim Abdullah said he had only said that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) logo cannot be used in GE14 if the pact is not registered with the Registrar of Societies and its logo is not registered with the EC.
He was clarifying the misunderstanding over the EC statement at a press conference on Saturday.
“What was stated at the press conference was that if a candidate intends to compete on a PKR ticket, then only the party logo is allowed to be used during GE14 for campaign purposes while other party symbols cannot be used as campaign material, including the DAP, Amanah and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) symbols,” he said.
“Our statement was misunderstood as if the decision by other parties to use PKR’s logo needs to get the EC’s approval. I would like to stress here that usage of the PKR symbol by other candidates is the prerogative of the party.
“Media reports regarding this matter are strayed from the actual meaning that was intended during our press conference. Hence, we hope all quarters no longer misunderstand our statement,” he said in a statement on Saturday night.
Hashim’s statement came just hours after several media reports quoted him as saying that the opposition coalition needed EC’s approval before it could go ahead with using PKR’s logo for the elections.
PH chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had on Friday announced in Pasir Gudang, Johor, that the component parties of the pact would use PKR’s symbol in GE14 after the coalition’s registration was not approved by RoS.
Earlier report: Apr 7, Pakatan Must Get EC’s Approval for Use of Common Logo in GE14