‘Dr Rakyat’ seen as a model for success in Kelantan politics

 

Dr Hafidzah Mustakim (centre, in pink tudung) talking to residents of the low-cost flats at Buluh Kubu, in her constituency of Kota Lama, Kelantan, on Thursday. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin says Pakatan Harapan should put their victory in Kota Lama, Kelantan as the model for the coalition to be more competitive in the state.

He said PH’s victory in the seat was contributed by the support of significant Chinese voters in the seat other than the local factor offered by the candidate Dr Hafidzah Mustakim who has been serving as a medical doctor in the area for ages.

“Hafidzah is a doctor who has contributed vastly to the community there, she is known as Dr Rakyat,” he said in his Keluar Sekejap podcast. “If she (Hafidzah) can create an upset in Kelantan, I believe she can become a model for PH to become more competitive in the Perikatan Nasional and PAS strongholds.

Hafidzah’s victory in Kota Lama was the first PH victory in the Kelantan state assembly elections. She won with a 206-vote majority against her PAS rival Zamri Ismail. The seat had been won by PAS since 1999 through Anuar Tan Abdullah.

PAS also lost in Galas, where Syahbuddin Hashim of Barisan Nasional was re-elected with a 3,337-vote majority. PAS won the remaining 43 of the 45 state assembly seats.

Khairy said PH should groom candidates for the next general election from local residents with a similar profile to Hafidzah, who is a professional and has been serving in Kelantan.

Former Umno Youth vice-chief, Shahril Hamdan said Hafidzah’s victory was another example of the “local touch” offered by some candidates in the state polls including Selangor PAS chief Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi in Sijangkang and Barisan Nasional’s Rizam Ismail in Sungai Air Tawar. - FMT