Umno: Crisis won’t hurt BN in Manek Urai

(The Star) SHAH ALAM: The Perak crisis will not adversely affect Barisan Nasional’s chances of winning the Manek Urai by-election in Kelantan, said Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan.

He said the voters would be duly informed about the situation there so that they could have a clear picture of events in Perak.

“I will be going to the constituency with the Umno information machinery to access the situation and start an information blitz there,” said Ahmad who attended a special meeting with Selangor Umno information chiefs from all wings.

Ahmad said that the message would be sent out in Manek Urai that what happened in Perak was legal and there was no need to dissolve the state assembly.

“In the past, the PAS government in Kelantan had governed the state with only a two-seat majority. We didn’t ask for the state assembly to be dissolved then,” he said.

He said that since Umno once held the Manek Urai seat, chances of recapturing the constituency was good.

Ahmad also said the information machinery in Selangor had been enhanced to wrest the state back from Pakatan Rakyat.

The people of Selangor would be informed that they might have made a mistake in last year’s general election and should rectify the situation by voting for the rightful coalition, he said.

Ahmad also denied allegations that Umno was behind the independent candidates in Penanti.

“We have nothing to do with Penanti. We do not want to know what’s going on there,” he said.