CHUKAI, July 1 ― Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called on voters to make a wise choice in the upcoming state elections and not fall for the Opposition’s political ploy.
The deputy prime minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman said, unlike the opposition, BN was more focused on developments for the well-being of the people.
“What we’ve been doing all along has been focused on development, whereas the other side (the opposition chooses) politics of deception. In the end, the deception they had planned worked, and people forgot about the progress we had made. This is the truth.
“But to achieve victory, and let’s say PAS has a ruse, we must explain it to the voters, not just about their deception and lies, but also about how they are misinterpreting Quranic verses and hadith.”
He said this in his speech at the Qurban Perdana and People’s Feast (Jamuan Rakyat) programme at Pantai Penunjuk Kijal here today.
Ahmad Zahid said voters, particularly those in Terengganu, can no longer fall for lies and want BN to win back the state which he described as a ‘swing state’ besides Kedah.
“Remember that the state government can change at any time. And if you go by the 2018 general elections, the pendulum swung down but this time it has started swinging up. Insya Allah, BN will win back this state.
“I want to remind my friends that the elections are the best chance for us to form the state government in Terengganu. Because there will be many problems if we are the federal government but they (the opposition) form the state government,” he said.
According to Ahmad Zahid, all component parties in the Unity Government must put aside their differences and jealousies and work together once the Election Commission (EC) sounded the war drums.
“This is our time to take over Terengganu (from PAS) because the people have suffered and lived in hardship,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said young voters were important in the elections as they accounted for almost 50 per cent of the total electorate, adding that the Unity Government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim always pays attention to their concerns and listens to their voices.
“This time, we have to make sacrifices so that Umno, BN and PH (Pakatan Harapan) can make up for our defeat and win the state elections. I am confident that the ‘blue wave’ has begun to roll again,” he said.
A total of 245 seats are up for grabs in the coming six state elections involving Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah, Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan. — Bernama
