KUALA BESUT PAS claims that BN’s Kuala Besut candidate Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman’s extended family members are prepared to support PAS.

NONE Besut PAS division chief Wan Azhar Wan Ahmad ( left ) said he held two closed-door briefing sessions with them in Kota Baru last night at their request.

“God willing, this means there will be a ‘silent vote’ for us from the family and a ‘silent protest’ based on several other factors such as his (Tengku Zaihan’s) contribution to society and his community involvement during his five years in Kuala Besut.

“The community is making a comparison between the contribution of both candidates,” he said at a press conference today when asked about the progress of PAS’ campaigning in the Kuala Besut by-election.

He added that it is the norm to hold such briefings outside the constituency to avoid reprisals from BN.

When asked why Tengku Zaihan’s family had called for the briefing, Wan Azhar claimed that it was to show the support that they intend to give for PAS’ candidate Azlan Yusof.

He said that “many” of Tengku Zaihan’s family members had attended the briefing, but declined to specify the number despite being repeatedly questioned by reporters.

Tengku Zaihan was previously reported to have 3,000 family members in Malaysia, including within Kuala Besut, who were planning to aid his candidacy by opening a operations centre.

Azlan interviews only at election HQ

On another matter, PAS central committee member Dzulkefly Ahmad denied that Azlan is being barred from speaking to the media, but said such interviews would be restricted to the PAS Kuala Besut election headquarters.

NONE “Even the things he said with the best intentions are being spun, never mind the tough questions you (reporters) ask on any issue. He will struggle even harder with it.

“He is a first-time candidate, it is not easy to face all of you coming up with all sorts of provocation. Thus the suitable place is here,” he said.

He added that arrangements will be made for Azlan to address the media in a press conference in a day or two.

Previously, several mainstream media papers had quoted Azlan saying that he would use his salary as an assemblyperson to pay others to replace him in carrying out his constituency work while he does business in Kota Bharu.

Dzulkefly said what Azlan had meant was that he would employ assistants to help him if he were unable attend to matters himself, but not to replace him entirely.

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