DAY 9 SG LIMAU Quotable quotes, planned events and unplanned incidents as they take place in the run-up to the by-election on Nov 4.
7.40pm: MCA Sungai Limau Luar operations centre
MCA secretary-general Kong Cho Ha urges Chinese voters in Sungai Limau not to be deceived by DAP's lie on the possibility of Pakatan Rakyat taking over the federal government.
"DAP has cheated the people for the last five years, and there is no way for them to give a better future for the nation," he says.
Kong chides DAP for keeping mum on hudud law implementation that PAS has championed the while.
He also claims that in PAS' upcoming 59th muktamar in Shah Alam, Selangor from Nov 22 until 24, some PAS leaders may call for the party to leave the Pakatan coalition.
"PAS lost many seats in the May general election. The leaders may think that the bad result is due to DAP's alliance as many of their hardcore supporters don't like DAP," he says.
5.10pm - PAS by election operations centre, Padang Lumat, Sungai Limau Luar
PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar says he is confident that the party would be able to retain its Sungai Limau stronghold with at least a majority of 500 votes.
He says that the party’s candidate, Mohd Azam Abd Samat, has a high chance of exceeding the majority vote set by the party.
“This is our goal, just like the majority vote which the late (former Kedah mentri besar) Azizan Abdul Razak obtained during his first time contesting in Sungai Limau in 1995,” he said.
However, according to the Prime Minister’s Department official website, Azizan won by only 196 majority vote in 1995, not by over 500 votes.
5pm - Along main road, Guar Chempedak
Cars are starting to build up along this road which houses several party operations centres like those of BN, MCA and PAS.
But the reason for the traffic jam is road works being carried out near SRJK (C) Aik Min which recently received RM1 million from Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, although the school has only 15 students in its enrolment.
The workers are working hard to complete the road, it appears, with at least two workers there wearing BN blue T-shirts with the slogan ‘Choose BN’.
4.30pm: One large banner of opposition leader and PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim is spotted in the BN stronghold of Kg Selongkoh.
Anwar is expected to make his grand appearance at a ceramah in Sg Limau Daun tomorrow night.
He will be sharing the stage with several other Pakatan Rakyat leaders including his deputy Azmin Ali. They are expected to go all out on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) issue to convince local residents that such government policies are a burden to the rakyat.
PKR leaders have been given the task to conquer five BN strongholds in Sg Limau, including Dulang Besar, Dulang Kechil, Sungai Kering and Sedaka, although it is uncertain if they can make any inroads into these areas populated by fishing folk and padi farmers.
4pm - Kg Batu 18, Guar Chempedak
The BN has enlisted about nine Malay artistes to “entertain” voters, and take part in several games with the local residents.
The artistes, who will be ferried in a van pasted with posters of them, will go from location to location to help the BN campaign.
Among the artistes tagging along are actress Norlia Ghani, comedian Abom, singer Hail Amir and famous 80s actor Mustapha Maarof.
Among the games featured in the 'Sukan Bendang' (padi field sports) are duck and catfish-catching.
PAS also has its own team entertainers like Bob Luqman, well-known Malay comedian, master of ceremonies and popular singer and actress Abby Abadi, who appears at daily night ceramahs to tell the people about PAS and its Islamic struggle.
3pm - Kg Batu 17, Guar Chempedak
A big banner with the words ‘Al-Fatihah’ and a prayer to bless the soul of former Kedah MB and assemblyperson Azizan Abdul Razak can be seen in several locations.
They were noticed after Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin apologised to Azizan’s family for trying to relate the sugar subsidies in Budget 2014 to Azizan’s diabetes condition.
Although Azizan’s son, Rafi’iy has accepted the apology on behalf of his two families (Azizan had two wives), the issue left a bad after taste in people’s mouths.
Hence, the damage control was necessary for BN to redeem itself in the eyes of Sg Limau voters, who remember Azizan fondly and still miss him following his death on Sept 26.
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