SUNGAI BAKAP BY-ELECTION | PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli has branded Perikatan Nasional’s campaign in the Sungai Bakap by-election as a lost cause.

In a press conference today, Rafizi said its rival is swayed by the ongoing issues at the national level and has neglected problems faced by the constituents of Sungai Bakap.

“It’s very evident that PN has lost direction in this by-election campaign, as they are not focusing on issues that are more important to the residents of Sungai Bakap.

“These are local issues. It is also a testament to the ability and capability of each candidate to provide the best service to voters here,” he said.

Rafizi was responding to former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s remarks in PN’s campaign trail yesterday, in which the latter played up the issue of how the government has told the people to brace for another surprise on subsidy rationalisation.

PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin

Previously, Rafizi said the government will be replicating the same strategy to not give the public advance notice on any decision to remove blanket subsidies for RON95 petrol as it did for diesel.

‘Unpopular policies’

Following that, the economy minister said PN is taking the opportunity to play on people’s emotions on matters everyone knows require some government intervention, especially in terms of bulk subsidies, strengthening financial positions and other “unpopular” policies.

“Muhyiddin can play up issues, but I think people are well aware of his administrative track record.

“When the Madani government took over, we were also surprised by the debt they left behind.

“Because we were surprised by the debt they left behind, we had no choice but to make decisions to build the country’s competitiveness in the future,” he added.

There has been fierce opposition by PN over the government’s decision to implement diesel subsidy rationalisation across Peninsular Malaysia.

The criticism centres on the potential impact on the cost of living as a result of blanket subsidies being removed, due to perceived insufficient aid from Putrajaya to curb price hikes in the supply chain.

In lieu of blanket subsidies, the government is giving monthly cash transfers to eligible private users, farmers, and fisherfolk, while those in the transportation and logistics industries are getting subsidised rates through fleet cards.

Rafizi then clarified that some of the unpopular policies had to be implemented for the economy to grow through measures that would strengthen the country’s fiscal position.

“While we’re not attacking them over their debt record and spending when they were the government, I think people can judge for themselves that the matters that need to be addressed by the Madani government now were actually inherited from Muhyiddin’s government itself,” he said.

Fence sitters hold key

Rafizi said that the fence sitters hold the key to a successful campaign for this by-election.

“In this second week, our target and focus, besides intensifying the momentum, is to ensure that the campaign narrative is well-executed and reaches all, especially the fence sitters,” he said.

The Sungai Bakap by-election in Penang will feature a head-to-head contest between PKR’s Joohari and PN’s Abidin Ismail.