BALINGIAN With the Kajang by-election in Selangor coming to a close yesterday, the stage is set for the Balingian by-election campaign to go full swing as top Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders are expected to camp in Mukah town until polling on Saturday.

For the past one week, right after the nomination for the Balingian by-election, the pace of the campaign has been slow.

However, it began picking up over the weekend with an influx of state and federal ministers to assist the BN campaigning and send a strong message that federal and state relations should be retained for the sake of continuous development.

With just five days for the campaigning period to end on Friday midnight, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who has visited Mukah town twice last week, will make another round of visits this week.

Barring any last-minute changes, Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, is expected to fly to Mukah on Thursday, and again on Saturday, when the result of the Balingian by-election is announced at the Dewan Suarah Mesra Mukah.

Muhyiddin confirmed he would be at the Dewan Suarah Mesra Mukah on Saturday, when he attended a meet-the-people session at Kampung Tellian last week.

Newly-minted Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem wasted no time leading the campaign trail by attending two functions last weekend, with his trademark straight-talking and dry humour, which received positive response from Mukah and Balingian residents.

Also lending their support were Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal, Works Minister Fadillah Yusof, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Human Resources Minister Richard Riot Jaem, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri.

For PKR, fresh from its success in retaining the Kajang state seat, its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim will be in Mukah tomorrow, and is scheduled to give a ‘ceramah’ at 8pm, as confirmed by state PKR information chief Vernon Kerdit today.

“Anwar is expected to be in Mukah for two days and will be accompanied by PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli and PKR secterary-general Saifuddin Nasution,” he said.

- Bernama