Although disappointed, Permatang Pauh BN election director Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and BN election candidate Suhaimi Sabudin have graciously accepted their defeat in the Permatang Pauh by-election.

During a press conference at the BN campaign headquarters, Zahid said BN accepted the decision made by the voters of Permatang Pauh with an open heart because he believed that the power of the people is absolute.

Suhaimi said he never imagined that he would have the chance to experience such a by-election campaign.

"If the rakyat have chosen Pakatan Rakyat, there must be a reason for them to do so.

"Nevertheless, we will continue offering our services to the rakyat," he said.

Zahid also expressed dismay over incidents at the polling centres today.
 
"Although the authorities have tried their best to control the situation, there are those who act as though there are no laws in the country.
 
"If this is the type of democracy they want to show, I believe there is a price to be paid one day if they condone such brutal acts," he said.
 
Polling today was marred when punches, water bottles, stones and even chairs were thrown by BN and PKR supporters.
 
Several party activists were injured as a result and a journalist suffered a gash on his head.

Terima kasih YAB Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, serta Barisan...

Posted by Najib Razak on Thursday, May 7, 2015

Commenting on voting patterns, Penang BN chairperson Teng Chang Yeow said Chinese voters did not swing to BN.

 
"I don't think there is a swing of the Chinese voters back to the BN. If there is any, it's very little.
 
"(But) I need to look at the overall results first before I can make a conclusion," Teng told reporters, after BN's press conference on the by-election tonight.

'Rep can live in Timbuktu and be elected'

 
Teng added that there were only one or two out polling districts where there was a slight swing of the Chinese voters to the BN.

The Sungai Lembu polling district, comprising 98.6 percent Chinese voters, had witnessed a 13.8 percent swing in BN's favour.

The ruling coalition only won 16.6 percent of votes there in 2013.

There are 28 polling districts which have Chinese voters in it, he said.

Teng said that apart from the Goods and Services Tax, other issues like debt-laden state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and the ongoing spat between former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PM Najib Abdul Razak may have played a role.

"People are not bothered whether you have an elected representative who is staying in Kuala Lumpur or Malacca or Thailand.

"It's not the key issue of consideration. To them they don't care where their elected representative stays (here). He can stay in Timbuktu and can still get elected," he said.

PKR's Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail resides in Kuala Lumpur and now has to split her time between her state constituency of Kajang in Selangor and Permatang Pauh.

 
Suhaimi is a Permatang Pauh native, who studied locally and still lives in the area.
 
Regardless of their places of residence, Wan Azizah defeated Suhaimi, a PRM candidate and an independent candidate by 8,841 votes today.
 
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