SG BAKAP POLLS: PH CONFIDENT UMNO MEMBERS WILL VOTE FOR UNITY GOV'T CANDIDATE

NIBONG TEBAL, June 30 (Bernama) -- Pakatan Harapan (PH) is confident that UMNO members will vote for the Unity Government candidate Dr Joohari Ariffin in the Sungai Bakap state by-election on July 6.

PH Election Director for the by-election, Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid said that based on surveys and positive responses received during the campaign, they believe that the votes of Barisan Nasional (BN)-UMNO members will favour the Unity Government candidate.

"We have been working together with the BN-UMNO machinery in eight polling districts and the responses have been very positive, which gives us the advantage that in terms of votes, they (BN-UMNO) have returned to the Unity Government.

"Based on these developments, Insya-Allah, we see that we will achieve success on July 6," he told reporters after the launch of a Dr Joohari's campaign event at Taman Tasek Indah, Simpang Ampat, here last night.

With a week of campaigning left, Mohamad, who is also Penang PKR Leadership Council (MPN) deputy chairman, said that the Unity Government machinery will continue to intensify their campaign efforts in the mission for a victory for the PH candidate and reclaim the Sungai Bakap seat from Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Recently, PN candidate Abidin Ismail claimed that UMNO members will maintain the wave of vote switching to the coalition in the by-election.

The Nibong Tebal PAS vice president claimed that the wave could be seen, and that some (UMNO members) had expressed that they still support PN.

Joohari and Abidin are in a straight fight in the by-election, which is being held following the death of the incumbent, Nor Zamri Latiff, on May 24, due to stomach inflammation.

-- BERNAMA