How will Mastura get her message across to voters, asks Bersih

How will BN candidate for the Kuala Kangsar by-election Mastura Mohd Yazid get her message across to voters if she does not hit the campaign trail, asked Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah.

This is because the widow of the late Kuala Kangsar MP Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad is still observing her mourning period and had apologised for not being able to participate in the campaigning.

"If you are contesting, this is about your responsibilities towards the voters," Maria told a press conference on the June 18 Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections.

"Not being at the nomination day is one thing, but not campaigning are two different things because I feel voters need to see the candidate and hear what your policies are […]

"If you become the member of parliament, what would be the added value that you would want to bring to Kuala Kangsar," she said, adding that campaigning via online is a limited platform.

The Bersih chief also wondered why Mastura is fielded when she is still in mourning.

"I am for women's political participation but is there no other candidate able to take up this challenge? Why put so much pressure on her when she just lost her husband two weeks ago?"

"Up till now, I don’t know what her policies are, only the sympathy that we are getting. That seems to be the message," she said.

On the same note, Maria also pointed out that Mastura, who is a lawyer, possessed the capability to contest.

The BN candidate's husband was killed together with Sungai Besar MP Noriah Kason and four others in a helicopter crash during the recent Sarawak election.

Also present at the press conference was Bersih secretariat member Mandeep Singh, who announced that a group of 20 independent observers from election watchdog Pemantau would be mobilised at Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar during the by-elections.

He also urged the public to contact the Pemantau hotline at 03-7931 4444 if they witnessed any electoral misconduct.-Mkini