Pas confident Nenggiri voters won't be swayed by BN's 'party-hopping drama'

SHAH ALAM - Pas is confident that voters in the Nenggiri state seat will exercise their judgment wisely and not be swayed by the 'party-hopping drama' often employed by Barisan Nasional (BN) during election campaigns.

Pas Deputy President Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said that the party-hopping tactic is an outdated strategy used by BN leaders to mislead the public into believing they still have significant voter support during elections.

The Kubang Kerian MP also dismissed reports of numerous Bersatu members defecting to Umno in Gua Musang as inaccurate.

"This is a recurring tactic in every general election (GE) and by-election to create an illusion of continued support for Umno, despite the reality that Umno's backing has been waning with each election.

"Umno is attempting to distract from the discontent among its members over their collaboration with DAP, which they believe has led to a loss of their identity and core principles," he told Sinar.

On Saturday, BN Chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that 480 Bersatu members, led by former Bersatu Gua Musang Division Deputy Chief Che Ariffin Hussin had joined Umno.

They reportedly made the move due to a loss of confidence in Bersatu's leadership, particularly after the selection of former Pas Gua Musang Youth Deputy Chief Mohd Rizwadi Ismail as the Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate for the Nenggiri by by-election on Aug 17.

Tuan Ibrahim further pointed out that Umno's actions are driven by the significant support garnered by the Pas candidate and the programmes organised by the PN machinery in Nenggiri.

"Following the candidate nominations, we observed growing support for Pas' programmes, as demonstrated by the response from nomination day to subsequent public or group campaign events.

"Therefore, I believe this news will not affect the support for the Pas candidate," he said.

Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) Associate Professor Dr Nur Azuki Yusoff said that Umno should refrain from using outdated tactics, as voters in Nenggiri are wise enough to distinguish between genuine claims and election rhetoric.

He added that the appointment of veteran Umno leader and former Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as the Election Director for the Nenggiri by-election did not significantly boost voter support, as his influence has diminished since his defeat in the 15th General Election.

"My survey indicated that many staunch Umno supporters in BN stronghold areas, including Limau Kasturi Polling District Centre (PDM) and Bertam PDM, are no longer aligned with BN," he added.