Unity govt leaders accompany Pulai candidate to nomination centre

 

(From left) Johor Umno chief Khaled Nordin (in blue), Mohamad Sabu (in red), Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Amanah’s Suhaizan Kaiat, on their way to the Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim in Johor Bahru. (Ismail Salleh Facebook pic)

JOHOR BAHRU: Deputy prime minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi accompanied Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Suhaizan Kaiat to the Pulai parliamentary by-election nomination centre this morning.

Zahid, dressed in the BN corporate shirt, marched together with a unity government delegation and the candidate to Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim here at 8.45am.

Also in the delegation were Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, Johor Umno chairman Khaled Nordin and several leaders of the unity government.

Throughout the journey, the group carrying flags of various component parties under the unity pact chanted “takbir” as well as unity government and Malaysia Madani slogans.

Suhaizan is a former Johor state assembly speaker and a political secretary to the late Salahuddin Ayub, who was the domestic trade and cost of living minister.

On the Perikatan Nasional (PN) side, Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin and several other leaders and supporters of the coalition accompanied their candidate Zulkifli Jaafar to the centre.

Suhaizan, who is from Amanah, was the first candidate to arrive at the centre at 8.45am, followed by Zulkifli (8.46am) and Kuala Lumpur Consumer Safety Association president Samsudin Fauzi, who will be contesting as an independent candidate, at 8.50am.

It was a vibrant and colourful atmosphere at the centre, with supporters of political parties breaking into cheers and displaying banners and flags in support of the candidates.

About 2,500 police personnel were deployed in the area to maintain order while metal barricades and barbed wires were set up to separate supporters of contesting parties to prevent provocations and any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, in Muar, the Amanah candidate for the Simpang Jeram state by-election, Nazri Abdul Rahman, arrived at the nomination centre at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim, Muar, at about 9.05am.

Nazri, who is Bakri Amanah deputy chief, was accompanied by Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi and deputy defence minister and Amanah vice-president Adly Zahari.

Also in the PH-BN delegation accompanying Nazri were Amanah vice-president Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Bakri MP Tan Hong Pin of DAP.

Nazri and some 1,000 supporters dressed in their party colours of red and dark blue shirts walked for about 800m to the nomination centre.

PN candidate Dr Mazri Yahya, who is a PAS central committee member, arrived at the centre at about 9am, accompanied by Johor PAS commissioner Abdullah Hussin and a group of supporters.

The EC has set the polling day on Sept 9, with early voting on Sept 5.

The Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections were called following the death of former Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub. He died on July 23, due to a brain haemorrhage. - FMT