BN confident of regaining Anak Bukit seat, PAS not surprised by claims

comments     Yusof Ghani     Published     Updated

Barisan Nasional is optimistic that it will be able to wrest the Anak Bukit state assembly seat back from PAS in the by-election on Thursday.

Kuala Kedah Umno division information chief, Nordin Salleh claims that BN has been able to penetrate several PAS strongholds in Anak Bukit, a feat which was impossible before.

"In the past, we could not even enter certain areas to hold our ceramah (public talks), but things have been different now," Nordin told malaysiakini , adding that the party is now seeing many 'positive signs' compared to the 1999 general election.

Nordin said the ceramah held in the areas once described as "black areas" for BN were getting better response from the youngsters who are opening up to the party.

"Between 50 and 70 people have been attending our ceramah in these areas, whereas hardly a few people came during the general election campaigns three years ago.

Youngsters' presence

"What is more exciting is that youngsters are making their presence felt at our ceramah," Nordin said.

He claimed that Umno was gaining at PAS' expense whose ceramah were not getting the response they once had.

He claimed that about 50 to 60 PAS members were also "crossing over" to join the ruling coalition party. He also disclosed that two PAS Youth leaders were thinking of crossing over.

"This has never happened before," he said.

The party has warned all its workers in Anak Bukit to be on the alert as PAS' supporters may be pressured into stirring up trouble to trounce BN's comeback. Party women members have been reminded to be extra cautious in their campaign rounds.

"I think that they are aware that they are not able to retain this seat, and therefore, they are likely to act aggressively towards us," said Nordin.

No surprise over claims

PAS candidate for Anak Bukit, Amiruddin Hamzah, 40, however derided the Umno leader's claims but said he was not surprised by it.

"Of course there are more people at BN's ceramah because BN leaders and supporters from all over the country are here," he said, maintaining that it was the outsiders who were swelling the crowd at their gatherings .

The engineer who holds a master degree in Business Administration from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom claimed that his chances to win the seat was very bright after four days of campaigning.

"Wherever I go, people have expressed their support for PAS," he said.

Amiruddin said BN is very much at an advantage in any by-election, as the party has the means to capitalise on the government's machinery.

"For instance, Prime Minister (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) is coming here today in his capacity as BN chairperson, and yet the event will be held at a school," he said.

Two sides to a story

On accusations by Puteri and Wanita Umno members that they were being harassed by PAS supporters, Amiruddin said the party has not received any complaints. Two women claimed last weekend that a man, believed to be a PAS supporter, flashed at them.

"If they wanted to tell their side of the story, let them go ahead and tell...but please be fair with us, and let's tell our side of the story too," he said.

He said Puteri Umno members should not repeat what they did in the Indera Kayangan by-election in Perlis earlier this year. He claimed that the young women stopped PAS campaigners from approaching voters whom they have adopted as "foster parents" during the campaigning period.

Amiruddin is by BN candidate Zakaria Said who won the Anak Bukit seat for four consecutive terms since 1982.

However, the seat was wrestled by PAS president Fadzil Noor in the 1999 general election, in which Zakaria did not contest.

Fadzil's death on June 23 paved the way for by-elections in Anak Bukit, as well as for the Pendang parliamentary seat.

The Anak Bukit state seat has 19,399 voters, consisting of 16,899 Malays (87.06%), 2,157 Chinese (11.06%), 290 Indians (1.49%) and 69 (0.36%) from other races.



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