PERMATANG PAUH - Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today announced Permatang Pauh Umno secretary Suhaimi Sabudin as Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidate for the May 7 by-election here.
An engineer by training, the 44-year-old is a local businessman as well as Guar Jering Umno chief and the former Permatang Pauh Umno Youth deputy chief.
“What’s important is that we are confident with our chosen candidate, that he will serve the people and bring development to Permatang Pauh,” Muhyiddin said.
He hoped all BN by-election machinery will provide their full support to Suhaimi during the campaign.
The Umno deputy president said they chose a professional and responsible candidate for the by-election so that constituents will know that BN is sincere in serving the people here if given the chance.
“I believe that if we are given a chance, our candidate can help Permatang Pauh people, to upgrade infrastructure, schools and to upgrade their standard of living so that they are not left behind,” he said when announcing the candidate in Bandar Perda here.
He added that all these years under PKR was enough, and it was time for Permatang Pauh to give BN a chance to prove itself.
Suhaimi will have a formidable task to wrest the seat away from PKR that has held the seat since 1999.
PKR is yet to announce its candidate, but it is widely believed that party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be fielded due to her strong connection to the local community here.
She had won the Permatang Pauh seat under PKR’s ticket in the 1999 general election after Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sacking as deputy prime minister in 1998.
She retained the seat for two more terms before making way for Anwar in 2008.
Anwar was disqualified from as a federal lawmaker after he was jailed five years for sodomy on February 10.
A total 71,890 registered voters in Permatang Pauh are eligible to vote on May 7, while early polling will be on May 3.
Earlier, Permatang Pauh BN by-election director Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi launched its operation centre in Bandar Perda here.
Zahid, who is also home minister, said it is of utmost importance that all component parties of BN work together in the campaign to ensure a win.
“This time we are using new tactics to go down to the ground to reach out to each voter,” he said.
He expressed confidence that, with all the hard work by BN components combined, the coalition would finally be able to wrest the seat back from PKR.
He said the BN machinery will be on the forefront to face and explain each and every issue raised by PKR including any personal attacks against BN’s candidate. - Malay Mail
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