LIVE BLOG DAY 6 | Kuala Kangsar is expected to be in the limelight today as both the PM’s wife Rosmah Mansor and her accuser PKR leader Rafizi Ramli are in the royal town.
Rafizi has promised more explosive news related to the government-rented luxurious private jet issue, which he has spoken on for two consecutive days.
Rosmah will visit a government hospital while Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will campaign the whole day in Kuala Kangsar.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrives again in Sungai Besar, which also sees a slew of other ministers including Abdul Rahman Dahlan, Khairy Jamaluddin, and Ahmad Maslan.
Follow our LIVE BLOG as the Malaysiakini team brings you the news as it takes place.
Nothing wrong with billboards, says Pua
11.20pm: Sungai Besar - Selangor DAP chief Tony Pua tells a group of largely Malay voters at a Pakatan Harapan ceramah here that there is nothing wrong with the controversial billboards erected around Sekinchan.
He says that DAP is only trying to remind the people of Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Yunos’ purported remarks against the Chinese, calling them pigs because they eat pigs.
“We never say bad things about any one.
“He (Jamal) can say it but we cannot say that he said it,” Pua points out, to cheers from the crowd.
He also says the by-election is the time for each party to state its stand and highlight weaknesses of its opponents.
Khalid Samad reminds PAS of the prophet’s advice
11pm: Sungai Besar - Amanah communications director Khalid Samad takes a potshot at PAS and reminds the Islamist party leaders of a saying by Prophet Muhammad SAW.
“I am citing a hadith because PAS likes to say that Amanah is liberal,” he tells the crowd at a Pakatan Harapan ceramah here.
The hadith he cites refers to the prophet’s advice against colluding and assisting a corrupt leader or government.
“Even though you pray, fast and do all the good deeds, if you don’t speak up against lies, the prophet says ‘I have nothing to do with you’,” he says.
So don’t be an adviser to a cruel government, he adds.
‘Loudest parliamentarian’ takes to the stage
10.30pm: Sungai Besar - When one of the loudest parliamentarian takes to the stage, most people around Restoran Kuala Kurau here have no choice but to listen.
The emcee introduces Kuala Langat MP Abdullah Sani as being one of the most outspoken elected representatives - with the voice to match.
Only about 30 people are seated in front of the stage, after much coaxing from the emcee, but many others are eating inside or walking around the area.
Abdullah spends about 10 minutes talking at the top of his voice, reminding the people of the country’s mounting debt and how they have to suffer the consequences through higher taxes.
“Allah SWT will not change the fate of a people unless the people themselves strive to change their own fate,” Abdullah tells the crowd comprising largely of elderly Malays who drop by after the nightly terawih prayers.
As such, Abdullah urges the crowd to support change and vote for Azhar Shukur.
Chinese should reject Umno’s racism, says Nga
10.00pm: Jalan Dato Sagor, Kuala Kangsar - At a DAP ceramah tonight, Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming urges Chinese voters to vote against BN to protest Umno’s racism.
Citing a few cases of Umno leaders’ allegedly insulting remarks against the Chinese, he says the Chinese will be worse than a pig or a roast pork to vote for Umno.
He particularly mentioned Umno minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s ‘boycott Chinese traders’ remark, Umno deputy minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman’s ‘slapping Chinese’ remark, as well as Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Md Yunos’s way of defending the ‘Chinese pig’ statement.
“You were called a pig and you are going to vote for them, you are no different than a pig,” he tells the crowd of some 200 people.
“This is against the confucianist teaching that we can be murdered but not insulted,” he said.
Ismail Sabri had urged others to boycott Chinese traders that would break their ricebowl, so the Chinese would be more stupid than a pig if they vote for the his party, he says.
If Umno want the Chinese vote, he says, then the party and its president should sack those who hurled insulting remarks against the Chinese or have them retract and apologise for these remarks.
The Chinese should reject Umno’s racism as this will be a dead-end road, he says.
Despite describing Dr Mahathir Mohamad is a conman, he also urges the people to attend the 1MDB colloqium slated to be held this Sunday.
He also takes a jab at Najib, who allocated RM500 to the rubber tappers today.
“(Najib) gives you candy, but (he will).get a factory from you,” he says.
Nod for RM43.5m bridge
9.30pm: Kuala Kangsar - Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announces a RM43.5 million allocation to build the Manong bridge which will make it easier for locals to cross the Perak River.
“In this Ramadan month, we are encouraged to give alms and be generous, which was why the Perak menteri besar informed me of this matter.
“The Manong bridge have been talked about for a long time but there has never been a breaking ground ceremony so I would like to announce, in accordance with the Public Works Department’s standards, that I hereby approvee the Manong bridge with an allocation of RM43.5 million,” he says.
He says apart from linking Kampung Seberang Manong to Manong town, the project will also see the construction of a three-kilometre long road.
In the event, Najib also gives away Hari Raya contributions to orphans and single mothers.
With trademark gloves and fan, Wan Azizah wows the crowd
6pm: Arena Square Ramadan bazaar, Kuala Kangsar - PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail arrives with her entourage and hands out bubur lambuk to patrons at the bazaar.
The Pakatan Harapan leader seems very popular with the people here, with many - both patrons and traders - taking the opportunity to take photographs with her.
With her trademark gloves and fan in hand, Wan Azizah seems more than happy to fulfil their requests.
Going round the bazaar, her entourage, however, takes a ‘U-turn’ before they reach the front due to a Health Ministry event which is also being held.
Wan Azizah’s entourage then merges with Parti Amanah Negara’s (Amanah) Kuala Kangsar by-election candidate Dr Ahmad Termizi Ramli’s.
The two walk together, stopping at several stalls introducing Termizi to the people and taking more photographs.
Speaking to reporters later, Wan Azizah says although they are sad over the demise of the constituency’s incumbent lawmaker, the ongoing by-election was for the people.
“So choose number four -Termizi is a physicist, there aren't many physicists in the country, especially someone from Kuala Kangsar.”
“My goodness you must be so proud, so choose the best – a Kuala Kangsar native to be your voice in Parliament,” she says.
PKR warns of 'biased machinations' by EC in twin by-elections
5.30pm: Kuala Lumpur - PKR urges voters to be vigilant, warning of "biased machinations" by the Election Commission (EC) in the twin by-elections.
This comes after the EC conducted a locality correction exercise in April, raising concerns that voters in the twin polls may end up going to the wrong polling station.
"Clearly, the twin by-elections of Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar will be marked by EC's biased machinations - meant to derail Pakatan Harapan's efforts to realise much needed reforms to salvage the Malaysia's socio-economy and uplift the plight of the ordinary people.
"We ask that the voters to remain vigilant and realise their rights to vote against the ruling coalition and in favour of Harapan's candidate in both Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar.
"We need more than 55 percent of the popular vote - especially with the current EC working in concert with the ruling BN federal government to further deepen the uneven electoral playing field," says the party in a joint statement by PKR vice-presidents Nurul Izzah Anwar (photo), Xavier Jeyakumar and Tian Chua.
They point out that such locality correction had caused voters being unable to cast their votes in the past and in a more serious instance, 228 voters were transferred to another constituency during the Hulu Selangor by-election in 2010.
Anti-opposition preaching outside mosque to be probed
5pm: Sabak Bernam, Sg Besar - Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says he will investigate the case of a woman who preached anti-Amanah, DAP and PAS messages outside a mosque in Pasir Panjang earlier today.
"If this really happened, then BN must take action," Zahid says at a press conference at the Sabak Bernam district police headquarters.
However, he says, this complaint might be a reverse psychology ploy, to make the BN look bad.
As for Rafizi Ramli's allegations that the prime minister's wife, Rosmah Mansor, had misused the government jet, Zahid says he would speak to Rafizi, personally, about this.
Najib asked to say he supports PAS or BN parties on hudud
4pm: Amanah office, Sungai Besar - PRK’s Seri Andalas assemblyperson Dr Xavier Jeyakumar turns the table on Prime Minister Najib Razak and challenges him to state whether he supports PAS or the other BN component parties.
"Isn't it the same as what is happening now within the BN, with Hadi's Hudud Bill?
"Does the PM want to support the bill or other BN parties that rejected it? PM has to make a stand," Xavier says at a press conference.
He is referring to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's Private Member's Bill to raise the jurisdiction of the syariah court.
The move raises an outcry from BN component party leaders, several of whom have threatened to resign from the cabinet if the amendments are passed.
Amanah communications director Khalid Samad also reiterates that PKR's support for Amanah's candidate is indisputable.
This is in response to Najib's challenge yesterday to Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali to state his stand on whether he supports PAS or Amanah.
Umno man expects low Chinese voter turnout
3.30pm: BN Media Centre, Sungai Besar - Umno supreme council member Ahmad Maslan says he expects a lower turnout rate of Chinese voters come polling day on June 18.
Ahmad says this is in comparison with the figure during GE13 in 2013.
"That time, they wanted to topple the government. Now the government will not change.
"I propose that they don't need to come back and vote. I hope they take up my proposal," says the Pontian MP, who then points out that he is being sarcastic.
Ahmad says this in response to a question on sentiments of Chinese voters towards the BN candidate Budiman.
On the inflammatory billboards, Ahmad also notes it is not a surprise coming from a party that does not respect the law.
"At the end of my every sentence, there is sarcasm," he says.
Ahmad also refuses to answer Malaysiakini's question on the National Security Council Act being gazetted as law without being given royal ascent.
Azmin appears in Sg Besar, an image of him that is
3pm: Sungai Besar - Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali is on the Sungai Besar campaign trail for Amanah - at least an image of him is.
At least two banners featuring Azmin and Amanah candidate Azhar Syukur have been spotted here, one in Sekinchan and one in Pasir Panjang, sticking out like a sore thumb in a campaign landscape that's mostly devoid of banners or billboards.
Azmin himself has not physically been spotted in Sungai Besar since nomination day, where he made a surprise appearance and spent most of his time with the Pakatan Harapan team.
Woman in silver truck attacks DAP, PAS after Friday prayers
2.30pm: Pasir Panjang, Sg Besar - Muslims at the Pasir Panjang mosque are greeted with an impromptu propaganda sermon immediately after Friday prayers.
The speech is from a woman sitting in a tinted silver truck equipped with a loudspeaker, parked outside the mosque.
"Do we want a candidate (from Amanah) who is shackled by DAP?
"Do we want our homeland Sungai Besar to be gambled with by DAP, which practices corruption, not just with money but with women too," she says.
Describing DAP as a communist party, she adds that DAP makes 85 percent of its money from massage parlours, and budget hotels.
Meanwhile she says PAS too is not a good choice as the Islamist party can be kicked out of the Selangor government at any time.
PAS candidate Dr Rani Osman, she says, has also been unable to resolve problems in his own constituency of Meru.
The speech ends with the woman asking voters to cast their ballots for BN candidate Budiman Mohd Zohdi.
MCA puts up anti-DAP banners in K Kangsar to woo Chinese voters
1pm: Kampung Baru Jerlun, Kuala Kangsar - MCA has put up some anti-DAP banners at Kampung Baru Jerlun as part of its efforts to stop DAP from persuading the Chinese to support the Amanah candidate.
One of the banners has an image of DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng with the words 'let it pass first', referring to the hudud issue. There is also a caption demanding answers from him.
On the background, Lim can be seen shaking hands with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.
Another banner sees Lim and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu greeting each other, with Mat Sabu claiming "hudud brings happiness".
The banner also slams Amanah for being a party without integrity.
One more banner demands Perak DAP chairperson Nga Kor Ming to explain his past statement that he would persuade PAS to give up hudud.
MCA has been in this new village for days, persuading the voters to swing back to BN.
In the last general election, the Jerlun polling district, which consists of 84.9 percent Chinese voters, saw 68.2 percent of them voting for PAS.
A total 1,780 voters will vote at this polling district on June 18.
Kit Siang: Harapan win will put 8 Umno seats in reach
12.45pm: Sekinchan town, Sg Besar - Victory for Amanah in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar would pave the way for the party and Pakatan Harapan to capture eight other Umno-held marginal seats, says DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.
"This would be a sign that Malaysians are ready for new politics," he says at a press conference.
The eight seats are Kuala Selangor, Pasir Gudang, Bagan Serai, Ketereh, Machang, Jerai, Arau and Bera.
KJ slams opposition’s ‘provocative’ banners, billboards
8am: Kuala Kangsar - The incidence of billboards and banners with provocative content put up in the Sungai Besar parliamentary constituency campaign is an attempt by the opposition to win votes, says Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
According to Bernama this morning, Khairy says the opposition's actions are an unhealthy political proactices that provoke hatred among the voters by the making of slanderous sentiments.
"BN does not practice such politics because we focus on the candidate and the people," he said after breaking fast at the Kampung Jeliang Mosque in Manong, Kuala Kangsar, last night.
Also present were Umno Youth deputy chief Khairul Azwan Harun and Kuala Kangsar Umno division acting chief , Manong state assemblyperson Mohamad Kamil Shafie and Mastura Mohd Yazid's son Wan Imar Izat Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad.
Khairy says he has already directed Perak Umno Youth to lodge a report to the Election Commission.
