KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — The success of Pakatan Harapan (PH) in retaining the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state seats yesterday is proof that the cooperation between PH and Barisan Nasional (BN) is accepted by the people, according to PH-BN leaders.
In congratulating Amanah’s Suhaizan Kaiat and Nazri Abdul Rahman for their victories in Pulai and Simpang Jeram respectively, the two coalitions’ leaders said the by-election results showed that people chose the politics of service advocated by the Unity Government over Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) politics of perception.
Umno information chief Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the victories were the result of PH and BN’s determination to set aside political differences for the sake of a stable government to bring prosperity to the people and country.
“We would like to thank voters in Pulai and Simpang Jeram for showing their support through the ballot box to the two PH-BN candidates, Suhaizan Kaiat and Nazri Abdul Rahman. Congratulations too to these two candidates.
“Voters’ confidence in these two elected representatives should be translated by the government through intensified efforts to tackle whatever community, economic and life issues facing the rakyat,” she said in a statement here today.
Azalina, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), also thanked BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Johor BN leaders led by Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi for their hard work in campaigning and activating the party machinery to help the PH candidates.
Suhaizan and Nazri triumphed in three-cornered fights against PN and independent candidates, winning with a majority of 18,641 votes and 3,514 votes respectively.
PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil said the PH-BN victories were a clear signal that people especially those in Johor rejected the politics of stirring up 3R (race, religion, royalty) issues.
“We have heard all kinds of accusations and slander made by PN leaders but Johor people have generally rejected this type of politics, and this is a positive sign that the ‘green wave’ has died, failing to reach Johor,” he added.
Fahmi, who is Communications and Digital Minister, said several matters to prevent the continued propagation of slander were being worked on to further strengthen the Unity Government, as desired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He advised PN to be a good opposition, including by holding talks with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof on various matters for their common good as suggested by the prime minister earlier.
In Putrajaya, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the success of PH-BN in Pulai and Simpang Jeram would motivate the alliance to make further gains by retaining the Pelangai state seat in Pahang in a by-election set for October 7.
The transport minister is confident that the whole PH machinery would go all out to ensure victory for the BN candidate in Pelangai, just like how BN leaders, including Mohamed Khaled and Onn Hafiz, had worked hard to help clinch the victories in Johor.
“The twin by-elections in Johor clearly showed the PH-BN cooperation at work as the BN machinery gave its full support to the PH candidates. The same formula will be applied in Pelangai, with PH going all out to campaign for the BN candidate,” he said.
In Seremban, Negeri Sembilan Umno chairman Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said PH’s victories in Pulai and Simpang Jeram showed that the Unity Government’s performance was acknowledged by the people.
He said the support of various races and youths for Suhaizan and Nazri showed that the politics of perception employed by the opposition was no longer acceptable to voters and should be stopped as it did not benefit the people.
“Our success in the by-elections shows that the rakyat prefer the politics of service practised by parties in the Unity Government instead of the politics of perception propagated by the opposition,” he said.
In Kuala Lumpur, Wanita Umno said PH’s wins in the two seats showed that Johor people opted for a coalition which could help the state government drive Johor towards developed status by 2030.
Its chief Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad said the people realised that the excellence and progress they wanted could only be delivered by a stable state government.
“Our thanks go to the whole party machinery for its solid campaigning which contributed to this victory and the encouraging winning majorities proved that the cooperation among strong parties in the Unity Government is accepted by the rakyat,” she said. — Bernama
