PAS urges Sungai Kandis voters to reject PKR

(FMT) – PAS will campaign to ensure that Pakatan Harapan loses the Sungai Kandis by-election, says the Islamist party’s information chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi.

The party is not contesting the by-election, which involves Barisan Nasional, PKR and an independent candidate.

Speaking at the Himpunan Kebangkitan Ummah rally here today, Nasrudin was cheered when he said: “We want PH to lose in Sungai Kandis, this is my statement. Does anyone disagree?”

He urged PAS voters not to abstain at the by-election, to be held on Aug 4.

“To PAS voters in Sungai Kandis, if we abstain they (PH) will win. We don’t have to teach the people like they don’t know their ABCs. People are now wise.”

Some in the crowd shouted “we will vote Umno” and this was supported by other rallygoers.

About 3,000 people attended the rally, held at the Sultan Sulaiman Club. Among those present was Lokman Noor Adam, Barisan Nasional’s candidate in Sungai Kandis, and former minister Rais Yatim, who left Umno to join PPBM.

Nasrudin urged PAS voters in Sungai Kandis to reject PKR’s candidate, tahfiz school principal Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni.

He said a victory for PH would be a signal that the people accepted the inability of PH to deliver on its GE14 election promises.

Last week, Lokman had admitted in an interview with FMT that BN would need the support from PAS to win the by-election.

Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said it was no surprise that PAS did not contest the Sungai Kandis by-election as PAS and BN “are like brothers”.

Sungai Kandis is seen as a PKR stronghold, with the party having won the seat through Mat Shuhaimi Shafie in the past three general elections. He died on July 2.

Malay voters make up 72% of the 50,800 electorate.