NIBONG TEBAL, June 25 — The unity government’s machinery should not be too confident that the coalition will be able to win back the Sungai Bakap state seat in the constituency’s by-election on July 6, said Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

Ahmad said that although Pakatan Harapan (PH) has the advantage in the Nibong Tebal parliamentary constituency, it is not a guarantee for the coalition to easily recapture the Sungai Bakap state seat currently held by Perikatan Nasional (PN).

“I want to advise the machinery not to be overconfident just because we have Fadhlina Sidek as the Member of Parliament of the unity government in Nibong Tebal and YB Rashidi Zinol (Sungai Acheh state assemblyman and State Exco for Trade, Entrepreneurship and Rural Development), does not mean we can easily take back Sungai Bakap.

“Let’s not be complacent... if we want to recapture, we need to work doubly hard, therefore, last night we brought the whole section (Umno) from Penang as well as the adopted states of Perlis, Kedah and Perak to help ensure the victory of PH candidate Joohari Ariffin,” he said.

He told reporters after inspecting the Immigration Detention Depot Construction Project and the Department’s official quarters in Jawi, here today.

Ahmad, who is also the deputy minister of public works, meanwhile asked voters to make the right choice when voting for their candidate on July 6 because only the qualified candidate can carry their voice.

“If you are not satisfied with the water problem, for example the land problem, the one who will solve (the problem) is not the opposition assemblyman but the government assemblyman. So, it will be easier for us to convey the wishes of the villagers if PH’s candidate Cikgu Joo is elected.

“Like the PN candidate (Abidin), there is no one behind him but the Perpaduan candidate has the chief minister (chow kon yeow), exco, prime minister, deputy prime minister and ministers who can help him to convey the wishes of the villagers and voters of Sungai Bakap” he said.

The Sungai Bakap state by-election, which is a straight fight between PH’s Joohari and Abidin representing PN, was held following the death of the incumbent Nor Zamri Mohd Nor on May 24 due to stomach inflammation.

In the last state election, Nor Zamri who was Nibong Tebal Pas president defeated PH’s Nurhidayah Che Ros with a majority of 1,563 votes. — Bernama