A PAS ceramah in Kelantan last night heard that bus tickets to return to the state in the days before polling day on Aug 12 have been sold out.
This, according to Bachok MP Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman, was due to the eagerness of Kelantan voters to cast their ballot in the PAS-controlled state.
Syahir (above) also claimed that return flight tickets to Kota Bharu have skyrocketed after the polling date was announced by the Election Commission yesterday.
"After the election date was announced, many youths, especially Kelantanese who live in other states, had started making noise.
"(This is because) bus tickets have all been sold out. Online tickets all sold out.
"Flight tickets have increased to the extent it is now 'harga kayangan' (only affordable for the rich); a return ticket can go close to RM1,000 per person.
"This means that there is a big wave of young voters who want to return to vote. So, we are feeling very excited," he said.
Syahir, who is political secretary to PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, made the claims during a ceramah in Kampung Badak, Bachok, last night.
However, Malaysiakini online checks found that what the PAS politician claimed may not be true.
As of 10.40am today, several online ticket booking sites showed there were many bus tickets available from the Klang Valley, Johor, and Penang to Kelantan.
According to busonlineticket.com, there were many tickets still up for grabs for the trip to Kota Bharu from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) in Kuala Lumpur between Aug 6 and 11.
Among the express bus operators that provide trips to Kota Bharu from Kuala Lumpur include Sani Express, Zaim Express, Perdana Express, and Pancaran Matahari Express.
Checks also revealed that some of the buses still have seats available.
Similarly, checks on website redbus.my showed that tickets were still available for travel from Johor Bahru to the Kelantan state capital on Aug 10 and 11.
While from Penang, which is another industrial state, two operators Perdana Express and Transnasional still have tickets available for travel to Kota Bharu on Aug 7 and 8.
Meanwhile, checks on Google Flights showed several airlines offering return trips between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Bharu for below RM500.
Among those listed include Malaysia Airlines (RM444), and Malindo Air (RM326) to go to Kota Bharu on the eve of polling day and return to Kuala Lumpur the day after voting (Aug 13).
In an immediate response, Syahir this afternoon posted on Twitter to defend his statement.
According to the MP, bus tickets to other destinations in Kelantan were sold out yesterday, while tickets to Kota Bharu were selling fast.
"Thank you @malaysiakini for doing the checks. I have also done my own checks yesterday evening after receiving updates from my friends in the WhatsApp group.
"Bus tickets to rural areas other than Kota Bharu, including Bachok, were sold out yesterday evening, while tickets to Kota Bharu were running out fast," he tweeted. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.