PN wants Chinese to punish govt in Mahkota polls but has rough start

MAHKOTA BY-ELECTION | Perikatan Nasional wants Chinese voters to send a message to the Madani government and punish them at the polls.

However, it has one problem.

In its first ceramah in the biggest Chinese polling district in Mahkota last night, only three Chinese turned up.

The three were among around 25 who were present at the event in Bandar Tengah, where more than two-thirds of the population is Chinese.

One of the three is believed to be a Gerakan operative as she was wearing a PN vest. The remaining audience consisted of PN members and media personnel.

The main speaker at the ceramah was Padang Serai MP Azman Nasrudin, who noted the lack of a crowd.

“I would like to thank the organisers for inviting me tonight even though there are fewer than 30 people in front of me,” he said.

“But, God willing, the livestream will go straight into homes.”

‘Send a clear signal to govt’

Azman urged Chinese voters in the Johor state seat to give the federal government a clear signal by rejecting its candidate in the Mahkota by-election.

“The Chinese voting in Mahkota have to send a signal this time,” he said.

The Bersatu supreme council member said the government has failed to manage critical issues such as the sharply increasing cost of living and low wages while misusing the Sedition Act 1948 against dissenters.

PN candidate Mohd Haizan Jaafar, who was present, spoke very little and was audibly hoarse.

“God willing, if I am chosen, I will do what is necessary and appropriate,” he said.

Haizan faces Kluang Umno Youth chief Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah in a straight fight in the by-election, which kicked off with nomination day yesterday.

The Election Commission set Sept 28 as polling day for the by-election, while nomination and early voting dates are Sept 14 and 24, respectively.

The by-election was called following the death of the incumbent assemblyperson, Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, 63, on Aug 2.

In the 2022 Johor state election, Umno’s Sharifah won by a comfortable margin of 5,166 votes over Pakatan Harapan’s Muhammad Taqiuddin Cheman.

She secured 16,611 votes over Taqiuddin’s tally of 11,445 with PN’s Mohamad Nor Lingan coming in a distant third with 7,614 votes.

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