BN continues defending Isa’s candidacy
By Adib Zalkapli, The Malaysian Insider
In what was probably the Bagan Pinang campaign’s largest public rally, the Barisan Nasional (BN) last night drew a huge crowd of some 5,000 people as Umno headed into the final turn of a campaign in which it hopes will snap its losing streak of by-elections in Peninsular Malaysia since Election 2008.
“This victory is what we have been waiting for, Bagan Pinang will be the beginning of Umno and BN’s recovery,” Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin told the crowd.
The Rembau MP also continued the coalition’s defence of the candidacy of Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, who had been found guilty of vote buying by his party in 2005 and was punished with a six-year suspension that was later cut in half.
“Datuk Zaid Ibrahim when he contested the Kota Bharu division chief post, he also had to face disciplinary action, he was also suspended, how can they accept him,” said Khairy, referring to the action taken by Umno disciplinary board after the party election in 2000.
Zaid was sacked from Umno last year and had joined PKR and is now responsible for formalising the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition.
Isa, whose candidacy was opposed by party veterans including Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been credited with Umno’s revival of spirits despite the fact that he was indicted for money politics by the party.
Umno Youth deputy chief Datuk Razali Ibrahim, who also spoke at the rally themed “Pentas Pemuda”, said the former Negri Sembilan mentri besar is more popular than the party.
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