Ahmad Zahid predicts easy win for Pakatan candidate in Pulai

JOHOR BAHRU: Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is confident that the Pakatan Harapan candidate, who is representing the Pakatan-Barisan alliance, can easily win the Pulai parliamentary by-election on Sept 9.

Ahmad Zahid, who is Deputy Prime Minister, said this was because the former Member of Parliament for Pulai, the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, enjoyed good ties with Umno members in the constituency and the Pulai Umno division was also working well with Pakatan grassroots.

“For Pulai, I am very confident (of victory) because Pulai Umno division chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed has good relations with our Pakatan friends although just nine months ago we were rivals.

“But now, he has lined up several programmes to unite the two machineries. Salahuddin also frequently interacted with Umno members, so Pulai will be quite easy,” he told reporters after the end of nominations for the by-election at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim here on Saturday (Aug 26).

In the 15th general election, Salahuddin retained the seat on the Pakatan ticket, and the combined votes received by Pakatan and Barisan then exceeded 94,000, while the Perikatan Nasional candidate obtained only about 20,000 votes.

Ahmad Zahid said the Unity Government component parties had now reached their best level of cooperation and this was evident during the nomination process for the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections this morning.

“However, we have to admit that the grassroots need a bit of time (to adjust), and during the campaign period we hope to put up a strong Unity Government machinery,” he said.

Asked to comment on Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Sanusi Md Nor’s claim that the Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections would mark the burial of Umno, Ahmad Zahid, who is Umno president, said he would not respond to such provocations.

Both the Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections would see three-cornered fights involving Pakatan, Perikatan and independent candidates.

For the Pulai seat, Pakatan candidate Suhaizan Kaiat, who was former Johor State Assembly Speaker, would face Perikatan’s Zulkifli Jaafar and independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi, who was using the key symbol.

The two seats fell vacant following the death of Salahuddin on July 23. Salahuddin was Amanah deputy president and Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister.

The Election Commission had set Sept 5 for early voting and Sept 9 for polling for both by-elections. – Bernama