Nenggiri polls: Barisan denies barring four from campaign rallies

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) denies issuing a statement forbidding any of its district polling units from inviting four individuals, including Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Rafizi Ramli, from speaking at campaign rallies during the Nenggiri by-election in Kelantan.

In a Facebook post Thursday (July 25), Barisan said that such false claims were mere political manoeuvres intended to divide the unity in the current government.

The coalition emphasised that all official press statements will be published only on the official Barisan Nasional Facebook page.

“We hope that people would not be deceived by such political tactics every time an election approaches. We urge all parties to remain responsible and not spread such fake news,” the statement read.

The July 24 fake statement, purportedly from Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, listed four individuals as being banned from appearing at the Nenggiri by-election campaign due to the Sungai Bakap by-election defeat.

The three other individuals named were Umno supreme council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam, Jeli Umno Youth information chief Wan Mahussin Wan Zain, and an influencer known as Wan Hadi.

The Election Commission has scheduled the by-election’s nomination day and early polling on Aug 3 and Aug 13, respectively, with Aug 17 as polling day. – Bernama