Sg Bakap win would prove govt support, Joohari says on referendum poser

SG BAKAP BY-ELECTION | A victorious campaign in the Sungai Bakap state by-election would be a referendum of federal government support, said Pakatan Harapan candidate Joohari Ariffin.

In a press conference today, the former educator said that this government showcased unity in diversity and hoped the trend would continue in Sungai Bakap.

“I feel that way. That’s why when we unite like this, we hope we don’t break apart again. Yes, we will maintain this,” he said after a 45-minute session with the media.

He said this when asked to respond to the rival Perikatan Nasional narrative that voters should send a message to Putrajaya that the people are no longer siding with the federal administration.

Downplaying the sentiment raised by his rival - PN candidate Abidin Ismail - Joohari said PN was just trying to appeal to its voters.

Following that, he appealed to Sungai Bakap constituents to carefully choose the side that reflects the racial harmony that the federal administration has advocated since it came to power.

“So we hope that if possible, the unity we’ve created truly symbolises the society in Malaysia now,” he added.

Voter behaviour

When asked about an analysis citing the slim 1,563 majority gained by the late incumbent Nor Zamri Latiff in the previous election, Joohari offered his insights on voter behaviour and the challenges ahead.

He said voters in the past had their reasons for choosing a particular party.

“We’ve never failed to send an assemblyperson to the state legislative assembly until last year,” he said.

The Sungai Bakap seat was won by the then Pakatan Rakyat coalition and subsequently Harapan since the 2008 general election.

But in last year’s state election, the incumbent from PAS managed to wrest the seat from PKR after winning with a 1,563 majority over PKR’s Norhidayah Che Rus.

Further commenting on the recent shifts in voter preference, he said it might be attributed to skewed views.

“It may be due to issues of sentiment, trust, and perception. We need to correct these perceptions and bring back their trust,” he added.

The upcoming by-election for the Sungai Bakap state seat in Penang will feature a head-to-head contest between Joohari and Abidin.

Sungai Bakap’s demographic composition reflects its diverse constituency, with a Malay majority of 59.4 percent, followed by Chinese at 22.5 percent, Indians at 17.4 percent, and other ethnicities making up 0.7 percent.

Early voting is set for July 2, and the main polling day is slated for July 6.

DAY 2 | No early voting centres

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