BN election workers told to feel hardship of locals

(The Star) KOTA BARU: Umno and Barisan Nasional election workers will put up a night and even join Manek Urai residents tap rubber in the run-up to the by-election.

Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan said Barisan workers must be able to feel the ups and downs of the life of the people there.

“Most of the voters in the area are either rubber tappers or farmers,” he told reporters after chairing the Kelantan Umno meeting yesterday.

“Barisan Nasional election workers must be able to feel the hardships that they encounter every day to earn money to feed their family,” he said.

Ahmad, a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, added that Barisan would make a strong bid to win the Manek Urai state seat, which had been touted as a PAS stronghold.

Nomination has been fixed for July 6 and polling on July 14.

The seat fell vacant following the death of state assemblyman Ismail Yaacob, 60, on May 24.

Ahmad also said ceramah would be conducted daily to tell voters why they should vote for Barisan.

“We will also use the SMS and personally meet the 12,000-odd voters in the surau, mosques, community halls and their homes,” he added.

Ahmad added that the solidarity between Umno and other Barisan members in Kelantan under chairman Datuk Mustapa Mohamed was solid. He said that this augured well for Barisan.