DAY 6 KUALA BESUT Quotable quotes, planned events and unplanned incidents as they take place in the run-up to the polls.

11.15pm: During his brief speech at Kampung Beris Lampu, Kuala Besut, PAS candidate Azlan Yusof pleaded with residents there to pick him in the coming July 24 election.

“I am entrusted to represent the party (PAS), I truly ask all brothers and sisters in Kampung Beris Lampu, I ask that you vote, I ask that you pick me.

“I promise to serve the best I can. That is it. Pick me once, I will stay here. (If I become the state assemblyperson) I will serve the best I can,” he said to some 50 villagers that had gathered for the ceramah. The village is known to be a BN stronghold.

6.40pm: Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan visits the Kuala Besut Media Centre and hands over bags of bubur lambuk , popular traditional porridge for Ramadan, to media personnel to break fast with.

After a briefing with Ministry of Communications and Multimedia officials on the media centre's functions, he signs on the guestbook "As usual, the media are the unsung heroes."

The ad hoc media centre was set up in a hotel by Ministry of Communications and Multimedia to cater for reporters covering the Kuala Besut by-election.

Its facilities include power points, flat screen television with Astro decorders, WiFi, daily newspapers, computer terminals, and dinner. Up to 50 reporters, photographers, and videographers are stationed here during peak hours to write and send their stories.

4:50pm: Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said lamented that the state suffers from bad luck because it is the first to face a by-election after three consecutive general elections. 

He said in 2004, there was the Kuala Berang by-election, 2008 the Kuala Terengganu by-election and now the Kuala Besut by-election.

4.45pm: BN Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar says BN had been 'gracious' in the last general election because it had allowed PAS counting agents to object to votes that were stained with indelible ink, in the ballot counting process.

"We had allowed it. They should have been ours, but we agreed they were spoilt although the votes were clearly for BN," he says in a speech in the Kampung Bharu Civic Hall.

As a result, he says there were many spoilt ballots from Kuala Besut young voters. He raises the issue while explaining various security measures to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

The Election Commission had previously denied on several occasions that staining the ballot papers with indelible ink would render it void.

3.20pm: Hishammuddin refuses to respond to the claims that the police had knowledge of the Lahad Datu incursion two weeks before it happened, due to the ongoing investigations and legal proceedings.

However, the former home minister stresses that the government will reveal the infomation at the appropriate time.

"It’s not as simple as that when it comes to security, and all that will be revealed when the time comes," he says.

Lahad Datu district officer (DO) Zulkifli Nasir had told the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Sabah's population boom that the local police were forewarned about the Sulu gunmen's incursion plans but he was made to keep quiet about it.

3.15pm: Hishammuddin Hussein says that the "16:16" campaign theme adopted by PAS, does not make sense because if PAS wins there will be a "hung assembly" where all matters will be politicised.

"The '16:16' campaign theme is populist, but the rational people know that this kind of campaign does not make sense," says the Umno vice-president, adding that PAS does not really care about the future of the Teregganu and Besut people.

Currently, PAS holds 15 seats in the 32 seat legislative assembly. The "16:16" campaign is among the central theme of PAS' campaign which they claim would put pressure on BN to look after the people's welfare.

3.00pm: BN Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar goes on a meet-and-greet session in village houses around Seberang Barat, Kuala Besut with an entourage of over 50 motorcyclists.

He appears to be well-received by the villagers as he greets them and asks about them about their children and their thoughts on BN candidate Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman.

Speaking at a press conference after visiting his seventh house, he says this is the best means for daytime campaigning in Kuala Besut.

Although he would only be able to visit about 10 houses this afternoon, he says there are many other teams at work.

"Our low key, face-to-face, house-to-house (campaign) favours us because this is our strength. Our strength is in terms of service, development, aid, and welfare. That is BN's strength in rural area like Kuala Besut.

"The opposition's strength is in issues-based (campaigns) but I think this constituency would favour the way we handle (the campaigning)," he said.

He handed a hamper and a bag of food at the end of each visit, and even took the opportunity to pose for a group photograph with his supporters on the bank of Sungai Besut's estuary before heading to a function at Kampung Bharu.

2.30pm:

Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein visits Kampung Beris Pak Abu, Gong Kedak to hand over house keys to a retired Malaysian Armed Forces veteran Muhamad Mat Diah.

Muhamad is the first in Terengganu to be given housing assistance under the 1Malaysia Veterans Home Repair Programme.

Construction of the RM40,000 house began on Nov 26, 2012 and was completed on Jan 30, 2013.

Hishammuddin is later scheduled to break fast with the Besut Malaysian Armed Forces veterans tonight.

He will also award the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) to 50 veterans in appreciation of their contribution and sacrifice in fighting against the communists during the Emergency between 1969 and 1989.

He will also hand over RM500 festival contributions to 61 persons through the Malaysian Armed Forced Veteran Foundation (YVATM).

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