SG BESAR POLLS The flag and poster war for the June 18 Sungai Besar parliamentary by-election quickly gained momentum as soon as nomination for the by-election closed on Sunday.

As soon as the nomination of three candidates was accepted for the by-election, the election machinery of contesting parties were seen getting into action right away by putting up flags and banners and going around meeting the voters.

Checks by Bernama at several locations on Sunday night and yesterday showed workers hanging up posters, buntings, flag-lines and banners of the candidates, but not as aggressive as usual as the campaign period coincided with the month of Ramadan.

As usual the task of setting up the party base and ensuring that campaign posters are strategically placed are left to youths who are ever-willing to toil under the hot sun and work late into the night.

The road, including the bridge from Sekinchan leading into Sungai Besar, is already lined with BN, PAS and Amanah flags, setting the mood for election day.

In fact, the presence of the party machinery from outside Sungai Besar can already be felt through the many visits to homes of residents during the day to promote their candidates.

A party official, Shahrul Othman, 27, when met today together with six friends who were busy putting up party posters admitted that campaigning during the fasting month was rather dull, compared with the campaigns he had been involved in during normal days.

"We will hang flags and posters at night after Tarawih prayers during this Ramadan. If we have to do it during the day we will look for shady areas or else we will get tired easily," Shahrul said when met at Kampung Sungai Haji Dorani.

Another youth working for another party machinery, Muhammad Abdul Malik, 28, who followed the same arrangement, added that if they remained idle at the base they would fall asleep.

Residents look to a moderate campaign

"So, instead of doing nothing, we look for shady areas to hang the banners during the day," Muhammad said.

Meanwhile, a check at coffee shops in the Sungai Besar area revealed that the local residents generally hoped that the campaign would be held on a moderate scale to respect the holy month of Ramadan.

Rosli Sidek, 58, from Kampung Sungai Limau said even without a big-scale campaign, voters would still make their selection in favour of a candidate who is courteous and careful with his speech and language.

"We expect these candidates to campaign in a matured manner and not make personal attacks on their opponents. Instead, they should be able to tell us their reform agenda if they are elected to represent the people," Rosli said.

Technician Kamsani Abu Samah, 36, who is also for a moderate-scale campaign, hoped that the surau or mosques would not be a medium to campaign and funds for campaigning should be limited.

"There is no need for a large-scale campaign and to have flags hung at every conceivable corner, which only serves to block our views," Kamsani said while expressing hope that the candidates would not only be people-friendly during the campaign but continue to look after the people's interests after winning the by-election.

- Bernama