Rafiq said he could not vote against the Barisan Nasional-led state government’s stand since the decision had been made by the majority.
The former executive councillor also believed that his other exco colleagues – Idris Haron, Noor Effandi Ahmad and Norhizam Hassan Baktee – had voted in the state government’s favour in September.
“We have discipline in government. An individual’s stand cannot supersede the stand of the majority. Since the government had decided, and the majority wanted it to happen, I could not vote to reject MWEZ in the state assembly.
“On top of that, PN (Perikatan Nasional) was in the minority in the state government with only two assemblymen. We could not change many decisions and had to respect the principle of collective responsibility (as exco members).
“Action could have been taken against me (by the state government and Bersatu) if I were to oppose government bills and enactments,” he said.
Rafiq, the Melaka PN chief who is contesting the Telok Mas seat, said PN would be able to scrutinise the issue in more detail if it won at the election with a sufficient majority to form the next state government.
MWEZ will be built on 6,070ha of reclaimed land running 22km from Umbai to Tanjung Bruas, a megaproject that coastline residents had been objecting against for more than half a year now.
While Rafiq had pledged that PN would review the reclamation works should it win at the polls, he maintained that it must first weigh the pros and cons of such projects.
He said this required detailed evaluation, and if such reclamations would benefit Melakans and the economy, they should go ahead.
“If there are more negatives than benefits, then we will review them,” he said, adding that many Telok Mas fishermen and residents had complained to him about how reclamation would affect them.
Rafiq also expressed confidence that he could snatch the Telok Mas seat from Pakatan Harapan, saying the constituents wanted a new government that was more “caring”.
“They’re hoping for a state government that’s caring like PN was in the federal government. While I don’t want to be too confident, based on my campaigning, the people want change.”
He also unveiled 13 pledges should he be elected the Telok Mas assemblyman, including a promise to hold engagements with residents twice a week to hear their issues.
He would also work to offer free ambulance services and improve the infrastructure and facilities of fishermen and small traders.