BN taking steps to ensure members vote Harapan for by-elections: Zahid

 

BN is taking proactive steps to ensure that its supporters vote for the Pakatan Harapan candidates in the two by-elections in Johor on Sept 9, said BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The measures included explaining to Umno members the need to support Harapan based on the BN-Harapan cooperation and teaching the older members to select the candidates using the Harapan symbol.

The explanation sessions began on the eve of nominations, and Johor Umno chief Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi will be taking follow-up actions to ensure members were properly briefed, Zahid said.

"I am confident of the help from the divisional leadership throughout Johor to clarify this matter (need to vote for Harapan). Voters should not be confused, and the Johor menteri besar said practice sessions have been held to teach hardcore BN voters to pick Harapan.

"This has been done at the level of polling district centre and locality since yesterday," he told a press conference after launching the Risda palm oil mill biogas project at the Ulu Keratong biogas plant in Rompin today.

Pakatan Harapan’s Pulai candidate Suhaizan Kaiat

Zahid said this when asked what measures BN was taking to ensure its supporters, especially senior citizens, vote for Harapan and not be confused by the absence of the scale symbol from the ballot papers.

The Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections were triggered by the death of Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.

Harapan has fielded Suhaizan Kaiat in Pulai and Nazri Abdul Rahman in Simpang Jeram.

They are involved in three-cornered fights with Perikatan Nasional and independent candidates.

Social media campaign

Zahid also said BN was stepping up its use of social media in the election campaign as recent polls showed that they were lagging behind in this area of psychological warfare.

Campaigning through social media has proven to be effective in the battle for the hearts and minds of voters in recent times, he added.

Asked about the possibility of 3R (race, religion and royalty) issues being played up in the by-elections, Zahid responded he was optimistic that Johor voters would not be influenced by such tactics.

"Johor people are different, and I see that they actually reject 'narrow’ issues raised in the six state elections,” said the Umno president.

- Bernama