LIVE BLOG DAY 3 | BN's Muslim bigwigs are back on the hustings in the twin by-elections after being absent on the first day of Ramadan yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is in Kuala Kangsar, Perak to campaign for BN's Mastura Mohd Yazid, together with her son.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and de facto law minister Nancy Shukri are both in Sungai Besar, Selangor.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is also expected to continue campaigning in Sungai Besar.
Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan is shipping DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang to Kuala Kangsar to help whip up support for Amanah.
Follow our LIVE BLOG as the Malaysiakini team brings you the news as it takes place.
'I'm a Bugis warrior too,' says Amanah candidate
11.15 PM, Taman Jerlun, Kuala Kangsar: Amanah's Kuala Kangsar candidate Ahmad Termizi is warmly received by the 300 strong crowd at the ceramah organised by DAP.
"How are you, I love you," Termizi greets voters.
He says his ancestors, like Premier Najib Razak’s, came from Sulawesi. “However he sets sail by dropping the anchor, and his boat sinks. So does Malaysia.
"I am a Bugis warrior too, but I raise the anchor, and we sail to victory," he says at the ceramah.
He also tells the people to choose Amanah to get rid of colonisation by greedy leaders.
The Jerlun polling district is one of the six Chinese majority polling districts which PAS won in the 2013 general election comfortably.
'If you love Malaysia, then vote Amanah'
11PM, Taman Jerlun, Kuala Kangsar: Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming holds BN supporters responsible for voting BN into power, which ultimately led to corruption in the leadership.
"If you don't vote for BN, then they have no chance to abuse your money. Absolute power causes absolute corruption," he says.
"If we love the country, then we start from Kuala Kangsar, vote for Amanah," he tells the voters at the ceramah.
Nurul plays Anwar card to woo voters
11.00PM, Parit 5, Sg Besar: In her brief speech at a Pakatan Harapan ceramah tonight, PKR vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar played the Anwar Ibrahim card to woo voters.
"I bring regards from Anwar especially for the villagers here," she says.
She says that while those in attendance may side with Umno, it was time to turn the tide.
Her father had been an Umno man too, she says, but left when he realised when the party was too corrupt to rule.
"And now many Umno people want to protest against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak too, and this is the time to do it."
Pakatan Harapan ceramah delayed
10.30PM, Bagan Sekinchan, Sungai Besar: The Pakatan Harapan ceramah at the community hall in Parit 7, Sekinchan, faces delays after Election Commission officers informs organisers it has no permit.
After a short discussion, the EC however allows the ceramah to go on until 11pm.
Aside from Amanah candidate Azhar Abdul Shukur, the speakers include DAP Selangor chief Tony Pua, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar.
Also present is DAP Sekinchan assemblyperson Ng Suee Lim.
Due to time constraints, each speaker is only given three minutes to address the crowd.
There are only about 20 to 30 people attending the ceramah, one of two for tonight.
'PAS to lose at least 5,000 votes'
10PM, Taman Jerlun, Kuala Kangsar: DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang expects PAS will lose at least 5,000 votes compared to the 13,136 votes it won in 2013.
He claims PAS obtained the votes partly due to the support of DAP and PKR.
He hopes PAS members will support Amanah’s candidate, just like most MCA members, to the tune of 300,000, supported Pakatan Rakyat in 2013.
He also announced that former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and a few NGO leaders, will attend the 1MDB colloquium in Kuala Kangsar on June 12.
Lim also calls for the Kuala Kangsar people to give Mahathir a chance to redeem his previous mistakes.
Call family back to vote for Amanah, urges DAP
9.00PM, Taman Jerlun, Kuala Kangsar: Perak DAP secretary Wong Kah Woh urges the voters in Kuala Kangsar to call their family members back and vote for Amanah.
If Pakatan Harapan can achieve a good result in Kuala Kangsar by-election, then there is a chance it could reclaim power in Perak, he says at the forum at Taman Jerlun.
"Please help us. Contact your family to come home. Vote for Amanah on June 18 and celebrate Father's Day," he says.
This is the first forum organised by DAP after nomination day. About 300 attended, and DAP raised RM1,181 from the crowd.
A total 32,949 voters will cast ballots on June 18, with 34 percent of them below 40 years in age.
Commotion at BN break fast event
7.30PM, Kg Sg Limau, Sg Besar: A local man creates a commotion at a BN breaking fast event featuring Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri, when the food runs out at one of the three food stations.
"Lauk dah habis, BN tak ada duit (The food is finished. BN has run out of money)" he shouts several times.
The situation is however quickly remedied when the food is topped up, with Selangor Umno information chief Zein Isma assuring that there's enough food for the 300 people attending the function.
Earlier Ismail announced that two homes that were badly damaged by fire, including that of a local imam, would be rebuilt completely.
"I've been told its too badly damaged, so we will rebuild it completely... At the same plot of land," he says.
Amanah won't lose deposits, DAP assures
6.45 PM, Kuala Kangsar town: DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang believes that Amanah candidates will not lose their deposits.
"I don't believe this will happen," he says after a walkabout with Amanah's candidate Ahmad Termizi Ramli.
The Gelang Patah parliamentarian, however admits Amanah is the underdog, especially in Kuala Kangsar.
"Pakatan Rakyat couldn't take the seat at its peak, so we don't have the upper hand now.
"It will be a miracle for Amanah to win. But if we cannot win, we should at least emerge second," he says.
When asked if Harapan is targeted to take down PAS, he says the question does not arise.
"This is a battle between BN and Harapan," he opines.
Show us the money, Najib
5.50PM, Kuala Kangsar town: Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming challenges Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to appear in Kuala Kangsar to explain the funds that went into his private account.
"Najib has yet to show up in both Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar since nomination day," he says after an walkabout with Amanah candidate Ahmad Termizi Ramli.
"This is what the people in Kuala Kangsar and all over the country, want to know.
"The Wall Street Journal reported that Goldman Sachs Group Inc, which raised a bond for 1MDB, is being probed.
"The US authorities discovered that half of the US$3 billion, equivalent to RM5 billion, went unaccounted for, or went into a private bank account.
"Kuala Kangsar voted BN for 60 years, but the development allocation they received since independence, is not even RM4.2 billion in total," he says.
Former S'gor MB campaigns for PAS in Sg Besar
6.30pm, Sungai Besar: Former Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and PAS candidate Dr Abdul Rani Osman goes for a walkabout at the town centre here this evening.
Khalid, Rani and a team of PAS campaigners goes shop to shop and distribute the Meru assemblyperson's profile to voters.
Rani is a relative unknown to the voters here, particularly among the Chinese community.
Khalid (photo) later tells reporters he is indebted to PAS for helping him during the 2007 Ijok by-election.
"I didn't know anyone back then but they helped me. Even though I lost, I am indebted to them.
"Now I am an Independent but I am here to support Dr Rani," he says.
The Port Klang assemblyperson was sacked from PKR in August 2014.
They later proceed to the nearby Ramadhan bazaar.
Also at the bazaar to meet voters are PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and PAS information chief Nasruddin Hassan.
Vote for Amanah, vote for good governance
4.45pm, Sungai Besar: Pakatan Harapan in a joint statement says a vote for Parti Amanah Negara in Sungai Besar, is a vote for good governance, as seen in the management of the Selangor government.
The statement, signed by PKR's Nurul Izzah Anwar, Amanah's Khalid Samad and DAP's Tony Pua, says the Selangor government has for several years extended considerable aid to farmers, fishermen and entrepreneurs in Sungai Besar.
"These successes are testament to the Selangor government's commitment to ensure that the wealth of the state is distributed to all levels of society.
"The Selangor state government is one that is led by PKR, and together with Amanah and DAP, we aim to uplift Selangorians to greater economic and social heights," they say.
Interestingly, the statement made no mention of PAS, which is also part of the Selangor government and is contesting in the Sungai Besar election.
4pm, Kuala Lumpur: MIC Youth chief C Sivarraajh says his party has engaged with Indian youth voters who revealed their primary concerns are hudud and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
"Basically they are worried about hudud and rising cost of living because of GST.
"Besides GST and hudud, two other topics of concern to the Indian youth are business opportunities, skills training and education opportunities," he says in a statement.
Sivarraajh says the votes of these youths are crucial for BN as the outcomes of the by-elections are expected to be narrow and every vote will count.
He says the party has engaged with 250 Indian youth voters in Sungai Besar, and 850 Indian youth voters in Kuala Kangsar.
Perak MB denies BN hired two paragliders
3.30pm, Kuala Kangsar: Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir denies BN had hired two paragliders seen hovering over Sungai Besar nomination centre on June 5.
“Let the authorities investigate the issue. I don't know anything about it and we didn’t hire anyone to do it,” he says as quoted by The Star today.
Police are attempting to track down the paragliders after reports were lodged.
On the nomination day, three paragliders bearing the flags of a political party were seen hovering over the nomination centre.
Police had arrested four men at Sekolah Seri Makmur field immediately after the incident.
Independent KK candidate gets roasting for belittling women
2pm, Kuala Kangsar: Women's group Empower criticises Kuala Kangsar independent candidate Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary for belittling women, calling it "wrong" and "disappointing".
Izat (photo) had said he was contesting because BN and PAS fielded women candidates, claiming that they are not qualified to lead.
Empower president A Janarthani says some 800,000 women are actually head of households, according to the Department of Statistics.
"Women involvement in the public service have also increased in 2015 with 723,848 civil servants being women compared to 542,910 men.
"This clearly shows that women are capable of being leaders and have contributed much to the country's economy and politics," she says in a statement.
Morning market trader says new tents 'too small'
1.30pm, Sekinchan, Sungai Besar: Amanah's candidate Azhar Abdul Shukur and DAP leaders visit the morning market here and were met with complaints from traders about the Sabak Bernam Municipal Council (MDSB).
A 50-year-old trader who only wanted to be known as Ng says the new tents set by MDSB for stalls at the morning market were too small.
"It would take four tents for us to fit all the things we want to sell and when it rains, water would pour in from within the gaps of the tents.
"The tents are also too small to block the hot sun, turning off customers from coming," he says, adding that they were also easily blown away.
He hopes MDSB will do away with this policy and allow traders to use large canvasses as they did in the past.
DAP's Sekinchan state assemblyperson Ng Suee Lim then says he will discuss the matter with the trader later.
He also tells Malaysiakini he had raised the issue with MDSB before but the local council is insistent on the policy.
"It is a new state government policy to standardise all the (stall) tents across Selangor for safety and looks," he says.
Voters can go visit Mastura, says Umno division chief
1pm, Kuala Kangsar: Kuala Kangsar division acting Umno chief Mohamad Kamil Shafie says the people can visit BN candidate Mastura Mohd Yazid.
The people need not be disappointed with the fact that they are unable to meet Mastura (photo), he says as quoted by Sinar Harian today.
He downplays the concern about Mastura's absence during the 13-day campaign period, that she cannot explain her views on local and national issues.
Mohamad says the people have been seeing her for over 20 years, thus the four months and 10 days idah obligation is not a problem for the locals.
Slow gov’t service if BN not voted in, Nancy warns
1pm, Sungai Besar: The people of Sungai Besar may be slow to receive government services if they don't vote the BN in, says Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri.
"If he (Budiman Mohd Zohdi) is not chosen, sometimes (the government services) can be quite slow if the (MP) is not from the same party as the federal government," Nancy says.
She then calls on voters to continue the winning streak of the BN in Sarawak, and learn from Sarawakians who had previously lived under the opposition.
"We have seen for ourselves that in constituencies not under the government, the candidates only talk about politics.
"We are not talking about politics, but about what we can do to help the people," Nancy says.
Izat Bhukary hopes Dr M will campaign for him
12.30pm, Kuala Kangsar: Independent Kuala Kangsar candidate Izat Bhukary Ismail Bukhary wants former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to campaign for him.
"If you ask me what my strategy is, I hope Tun Mahathir will campaign for me," he is quoted by Malay daily Sinar Harian today as saying.
"If not so, I want to see him and seek his views and advice that will be useful to my campaign," Izat Bhukary adds.
The candidate, who contested and lost his deposit in both the Penkalan Kubor and Chempaka by-elections, has claimed that women are not qualified to lead.
He felt both BN and PAS fielded women candidates and that left him with no choince but to contest to offer an alternative to the voters.
Kit Siang: Who dares to advise Hadi?
12.30pm, Sekinchan: "Who dares to advise Hadi?" responds DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang when asked by reporters on whether Pakatan Harapan will ask PAS to retreat from the by-election or ask PAS members to vote for Amanah.
When pressed by reporters, Lim said this is his short answer and refused to comment further at a press conference in Sekinchan after launching a dumpling event.
Pakatan Harapan candidate Azhar Shukur, Presiden Amanah Mat Sabu and Sekinchan assemblyperson Ng Suee Lim were also present at the event.
Lim said the Amanah candidate can win this by-election if three conditions are met: The votes of non-Muslims votes shift to Amanah; PAS members do not support their party but vote for Amanah candidate and if Umno members too support Azhar.
Earlier, in moning, DAP leaders, including Lim, also accompanied Azhar in a walkabout at the Sekinchan market to woo Chinese voters.
Some of the voter took photographs with Lim as the candidate Azhar and the party Amanah were introduced to the all in the market through speakers using loudspeakers.
'We want to work smart, like white ants'
12 noon, Kuala Kangsar: Perak Amanah chief Asmuni Awi admits that the party faces constrains in its campaign machinery.
"Due to our constrains, we want to work smart, like white ants.The whole building will be eaten by white ants tomorrow," Asmuni said at a press conference.
Amanah's flags are less visible as compared with the BN and PAS. This is one of the indicators of how effective the party machinery is.
"Our movement may not be visible to you, but we are moving, but we will achieve the targeted goal," he adds.
Asmuni then says Amanah has a few thousand campaigners in the royal town and everything would be ready in a week’s time.
"We are a group of educated veterans. Let the others work and get tired first," he says.
Amanah says sorry for restricting press coverage of its candidate
11.20am, K Kangsar polls At the first press conference held this morning after nomination, Amanah apologises for restricting the media from interviewing its candiate Ahmad Termizi Ramli.
"We have received positive press coverage for our candidates," says Perak Amanah chief Asmuni Awi.
"But I want to officially apologise for the so-called 'restriction' (imposed against) the media from interviewing the candidate (that caused) displeasure among the media personnel.
"The fact is, we are forced to do this as the candidates have his programme, he has to move from one place to another.
"If we allow you to disrupt (him) with questions afters questions, then it will adversely affect the movement of the candidate," he says.
"We want him to move smoothly, this is what you don't understand," he laments.
"I know you have many questions – killer questions – I can even expect what you will ask," he said.
He then promises the media two interview sessions with Termizi, for the Chinese and Tamil press in the morning and the English and Malay press in the afternoon.
Amanah's move to restrict media coverage of its candidate has drawn flaks among media personnel.
Kit Siang says three-pronged strategy needed in Sg Besar
7.25am, Sungai Besar DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said that the real battle in Sungai Besar is between Umno/BN and Amanah/Pakatan Harapan.
However for Amanah candidate Azhar Shukor to pull off a "miracle" win, Lim said Pakatan needs a three-pronged strategy.
"If this three-pronged strategy could apply and be implemented on June 18, then the next MP for Sungai Besar will be Azhar Shukor," he said in a statement today.
Lim's strategy aims for a higher voter turnout and higher percentage of support from non-Malays, particularly Chinese voters.
The second part of the strategy requires PAS supporters to "rise above party politics" and vote for the Amanah/Pakatan candidate instead.
The last part in the three-pronged strategy will need Umno members also rising above party politics to vote for Azhar.
