Ahmad Zahid Dismisses As False A Claim Over Campaigning In Nenggiri By-election

KOTA TINGGI, July 25 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dismissed as false a letter claiming that four individuals, including a minister, were banned from campaigning for the coalition in the upcoming Nenggiri state by-election.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Rural and Regional Development Minister, said BN welcomes all parties who can help secure victory for its candidate in Nenggiri to assist with the by-election campaign.

"So far, we welcome all parties who can help ensure BN's candidate wins in Nenggiri," he told reporters after delivering an address at the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) Retreat at the Desaru Convention Centre here today.

Earlier, a letter allegedly from BN stating that the party had banned four individuals, including PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, who is also Economy Minister, from speaking during BN's Nenggiri by-election campaign, had gone viral.

In a statement today, BN clarified that such claims are political tactics intended to disrupt the unity within the current government.

When asked about BN’s strategy of announcing its candidate for the Nenggiri by-election early, Ahmad Zahid, who is also UMNO president, said this allows the candidate to reach out to grassroots voters in the area sooner.

He said  that there are 20 polling districts (PDM) in the Nenggiri state constituency, and the party has coordinated the candidate's movements to visit all these PDMs.

 "There are five Orang Asli PDMs, and reaching all five is quite challenging. However, we have started early groundwork, making it easier during the campaign period so the machinery can move to other places," he said.

He added that there are nine PDMs involving traditional villages, five PDMs under the South Kelantan Development Authority (KESEDAR), and one PDM under FELDA and that all these have been considered, with coordination of the machinery carried out.

"(BN's) Nenggiri by-election director Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who is also the Gua Musang UMNO Division chief, has discussed with me effective approaches and methods for campaigning in the area," he said.

On July 7, Kelantan UMNO announced that its Youth chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani has been chosen as the BN candidate for the Nenggiri by-election on Aug 17.

-- BERNAMA