BN: It’s 50-50 in Manek Urai
(The Star) KOTA BARU: While PAS may be the favourite to win the Manek Urai state by-election, Kelantan Barisan Nasional feels that the coalition has a 50-50 chance of creating an upset.
Its secretary Datuk Md Alwi Che Ahmad said the coalition had an edge – it had learned from past mistakes and would not be entrapped by Kelantan PAS’ tactics, which is to pick a fight.
Sleep tight: Mattresses for some 3,000 policemen who will be involved in the Manek Urai by-election being brought into the Police Tactical Base in Laloh, near Kuala Krai, yesterday. — Bernama He said Kelantan PAS always liked a fight and believed in the Kelatanese trait of being a “gedebeh” (fighter).
“This is why Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat described Umno as communists and likened the party to a deviant group similar to ‘Ayah Pin’.
“He wants to sow hatred among voters in Manek Urai,” he said.
Md Alwi said Kelantan PAS was not interested in peace and that was why Nik Abdul Aziz had rejected any form of discussion with Umno.
“Having a cup of coffee with Umno is akin to committing a sin. The more rocky the political scenario is in the country, the happier they are,” he added.
He believes the recent furore between DAP and PAS in Kedah following the state Pakatan Rakyat government’s move to close an abattoir was an intentional tactic to benefit PAS in Kelantan.
“When footage on TV shows PAS shutting down an abattoir to slaughter pigs, it benefits them here as it portrays the party as doing the Islamic thing by shutting down a haram activity.’’
He said for Umno to create an upset in the by-election it must count on registered voters working outside the state.
He said the impression that Pakatan is besieged with problems would not have much impact in Manek Urai as the voters did not read much and had little access to the Internet and blogs.
“It is strictly, a personal touch campaign and Umno is doing just that,” he said.
