By-elections campaign heating up

SHAH ALAM - Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s outspokenness in criticising Pas has turned up the heat for the campaign for the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections which started as soon as the nomination process completed, yesterday.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman was reported to have urged voters to play their role to prevent the increase of Pas representatives in Johor.

“It is enough that Pas already has one representative at the Maharani State Legislative Assembly while Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has two representatives in Bukit Kepong and Endau.

"Pas is like a pointed bamboo that is always ready to stab us in the back because we (Umno) have experienced it back when both parties were in the opposition bloc.

"The truth is Bersatu has now become a riding horse to Pas when they achieved great victory using the Perikatan Nasional (PN) ticket,” he added.

The Deputy Prime Minister said this at a meeting with BN's machinery at the Bakri division Umno office in Muar.

The cynical tone of the Bagan Datuk MP might be in response to a statement by PN election director Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor on Friday.

The Kedah Menteri Besar was reported saying that PN was confident to defeat Umno in the Johor by-election because the state was no longer Umno's stronghold.

Sanusi claimed that voters will continue to reject Umno in the by-election because of its alliance with PH in particular Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The heated situation is expected to continue until the end of the campaign period before polling day on Sept 9.

PN is eyeing the seat vacated by former domestic trade and cost of living minister, the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, after the coalition effectively expanded its influence in state elections in six states on Aug 12.

PH-BN will certainly defend their seats to the last breath following Umno's poor performance in the previous state elections.