SG BAKAP BY-ELECTION: PN USING WRONG NARRATIVE ON VOTERS - RAFIZI

NIBONG TEBAL, June 29 (Bernama) -- Perikatan Nasional (PN) is likened to have 'lost the cause' (its currency) to convince voters on local issues in the Sungai Bakap State Legislative Assembly (DUN) by-election campaign (PRK).

Deputy president of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Rafizi Ramli said this was the field report after a week of campaigning in the by-election.

"Based on the progress of our campaign and assessment, it is clear that PN does not have a coherent or organised message (narrative) to campaign for in this by-election. We look at all the haphazard messages, (with PN) only harping on national issues that are not relevant to the voters in Sungai Bakap," he said at a media conference at the Unity Government’s main operations room in Sungai Jawi here today.

Rafizi, who is also the director of the Unity Government elections committee, said among several local issues in Sungai Bakap for the two opposing candidates are water problems and road congestion.

"... but until now, these local issues have almost not been touched by the PN, likely because PN itself is not confident of its performance report since becoming a representative of the people here in the last PRN (state election) and that has become the chatter of voters here," he said.

He said with only a week left in the campaign period, the Unity Government machinery will intensify its momentum to explain the government's position on several national issues played up by the opposition, so as to win over the fence-sitters.

The Sungai Bakap state by-election on July 6, sees a one-on-one clash between PH candidate Dr Joohari Ariffin and PN candidate Abidin Ismail, which is being held following the death of incumbent Nor Zamri Latiff on May 24, due to stomach inflammation.

-- BERNAMA