Akmal and I only talk about goats, fish and family, says Solehin

 Bersama’s Bemban candidate Dr Solehin Saleh says he and younger brother, Umno’s Dr Akmal Saleh, made it a point to keep politics out of the home.

Dr Solehin Saleh (left), elder brother of Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, is contesting the Bemban seat under a Bersama ticket in the upcoming Melaka state election.

HANG TUAH JAYA:

Political differences have done little to strain family ties between Bemban candidate Dr Solehin Saleh and his younger brother, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh.

Solehin said he and Akmal made it a point to keep politics out of the home, choosing instead to focus on family and everyday life whenever they gathered.

“We leave politics at the door. That was what my late father taught us and what my mother emphasised. We never discuss politics at home.

“When I return home, we talk about our children. Now, we talk about fish. Akmal has his tilapia, while I rear pygmy goats, which have since given birth,” he told FMT.

He said Akmal continued to respect him as an older brother, while their affection for each other remained unchanged despite their differing political views.

“Akmal respects me as his older brother, and I love him as my younger brother. Differences in political beliefs within a family are nothing unusual,” he said.

Commenting on his campaign in Bemban, Solehin acknowledged that Akmal’s popularity had helped him to some extent when he was first announced as a candidate in August.

He said media attention at the time was largely focused on his status as the older brother of the former Merlimau assemblyman.

However, after nearly three months of engaging with voters on the ground, he said they had begun to recognise him for his own efforts and approach.

He said he did not regard Akmal’s popularity as a burden, adding that his younger brother’s community work had also helped introduce him to the public.

Solehin began his political career with Bersatu in 2018 but left the party after the Sheraton Move, disappointed with political developments which he described as a betrayal of the original struggle.

He subsequently joined Amanah before moving to Bersama, which he said offered a more moderate platform that brought together people of different races.

On his chances in Bemban, Solehin said the seat was up for grabs by any party, given that Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu had all won it in the past.

Among the issues raised by residents were access to healthcare facilities, employment opportunities, local development, and the need for a sports complex for young people.

Solehin is facing incumbent Dr Yadzil Yaakub of Perikatan Nasional, Rabaie Ab Hamid of Bersatu and independent candidate Abd Halim Said. In the 2021 Melaka state election, Yadzil won the seat with a majority of 328 votes. - FMT