‘Winning Pelangai will boost BN’

BENTONG: The Pelangai by-election is a battleground that Barisan Nasional needs to win to build the coalition’s confidence for the 16th General Election (GE16), says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

The Umno deputy president said the win would help to raise the morale of members and strengthen the party after its poor performance in the last general election.

“Make this by-election our resurgence. We cannot afford to be comfortable. The machinery has to work hard to win because we are not strong yet, having ‘drowned’ in GE15.

“Although GE16 is still a long way, this (Pelangai) serves as a start for us to prepare for the real battle.

“We are in the phase of ensuring the survival of the party. We are not yet strong and still need political partners,” he told reporters after a Sembang Santai programme at Felda Chemomoi here on Wednesday night, BK reported.

Also present were Pahang Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Barisan candidate Datuk Amizar Abu Adam.

Mohamad also said Umno could only reassess the party’s strength after GE16 to be held in May 2027 at the latest.

“For now, we are focused on winning any by-election, including Pelangai. I am confident that we can win with a larger majority,” he said.

The by-election is held following the death of incumbent assemblyman Datuk Seri Johari Harun, 53, in a plane crash in Shah Alam, Selangor, on Aug 17.

It will be a three-cornered fight between Amizar, Kasim Samat of Perikatan Nasional and an Independent candidate Haslihelmy DM Zulhasni.

Polling is on Oct 7.

When asked about Umno veteran Abdul Rahman Bakar’s call for an immediate overhaul of the party’s leadership in Terengganu after losing badly in GE15 and in the state elections recently, Mohamad said the matter would be discussed after the Pelangai by-election.

Meanwhile, Perikatan’s Kasim reportedly said that so far, there had been positive reaction from local voters to him.

He said that the voters he met throughout the campaign period gave assurances that they would support him in the upcoming by-election.

“‘Don’t worry Cikgu Kasim’, that’s what the voters told me.

“I tell you, I’m surprised, it’s very positive,” Kasim told the local media while campaigning in Pelangai, near Bentong yesterday.