BENTONG, Sept 26 — The selection of Datuk Amizar Abu Adam, who is a native of Felda Chemomoi, as the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Pelangai by-election on October 7 is the right choice that will ensure a win for the coalition, former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

He said this was because almost 48.5 per cent of the total 16,456 registered voters in the state constituency were residents of Felda Chemomoi, Felda Sungai Kemahal and Felda Sungai Kemasul.

Based on the electoral roll, there are 7,983 voters residing in those three Felda settlements.

Ismail Sabri said as a Felda native, Amizar understood perfectly the struggles of settlers and their families.

The Bera MP said selecting a Felda native as the candidate will be an advantage for BN, just as it was for BN in the Paya Besar parliamentary seat in Pahang in the last general election.

"BN lost in many areas the last time around in Pahang. But in Paya Besar, because Shahar (Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah) is the son of a Felda settler, he obtained a good number of votes,” Ismail Sabri said when met helping out the BN machinery in their campaign rounds at Felda Sungai Kemahal here today.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the Pelangai by-election BN machinery must use social media platforms as their main "weapon” in their campaign as it was the best method to woo voters these days.

"The old or traditional way of meeting voters may be difficult, especially when it involves voters residing out of the constituency. With social media, they can still follow the election campaign,” he said.

The Pelangai by-election will see a three-cornered contest between Amizar, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Kasim Samat and Independent candidate, Haslihelmy DM Zulhasli. — Bernama