KLUANG, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi called on all parties in the Mahkota state assembly by-election to campaign the ‘Johor Way’ to prioritise harmony.
He emphasised that issues related to the 3Rs (race, religion, and royalty) should not be addressed, especially during the campaigning period, as peace and harmony must be maintained at all times.
"In the emotional fervour of campaigning, I worry about the potential lasting impact after the by-election concludes. We want to preserve peace and harmony," he said after the nomination of candidates at Dewan Tunku Ibrahim Ismail today.
Onn Hafiz also quoted former Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn, who noted that unity should not be taken lightly, as it takes decades to build but can be destroyed in an instant.
Onn Hafiz, who is the Barisan Nasional (BN) election director for this by-election, stated that the party’s campaign will highlight the initiatives, actions, and plans that the state government has implemented for the benefit of Johoreans.
"My message to the (party) machinery is that “we should talk about what is important for Johor, Mahkota, and Kluang”. We need to discuss the development we have already implemented and what we plan to do moving forward. There are many things to look forward to.
"I'm not saying that the state government is perfect, but we are doing our best to ensure we achieve the best results for Johor," he said.
The Mahkota by-election is a straight contest between BN candidate Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah and Perikatan Nasional candidate Mohamad Haizan Jaafar.
This by-election is being held following the death of the incumbent, Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, 63, who passed away while receiving treatment at the Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital on Aug 2.
The Election Commission has set the polling day for Sept 28, with early voting scheduled for Sept 24.
Meanwhile, UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan also reminded the party machinery to campaign healthily, maintain morals throughout the campaigning period and not be overconfident of an easy victory.
"Do not bother anyone or badmouth anyone. We campaign to ensure the Mahkota state seat remains under BN. The machinery must work hard and not become complacent although we won by a majority of more than 5,000 votes in the previous election.
"Remember that every election is different,” he said when he joined Syed Hussien to visit voters at Kampung Melayu 1.
-- BERNAMA
