PH has great chance to retain Tanjung Piai seat, says Dr M

PUTRAJAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) has a great opportunity to retain the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

However, PH component parties must go down to the ground and work hard in gaining the people’s confidence to ensure the pact wins the seat in the by-election.

“I hope the people of Tanjung Piai know that PH will keep its promise to fulfil its pledges to the people as it administers both the state as well as federal government.

“But if Barisan Nasional (BN) or MCA wins, they can’t do anything because they can’t change the state and the federal government.

“It is hoped that voters take this into consideration, when they cast their votes for PH,” he said after chairing the PH Presidential Council Meeting last night.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir said the comments by Tanjung Piai PH candidate Karmaine Sardini on palm oil price would not undermine the pact’s chances of winning the parliamentary seat.

“If they (opposition) can’t understand what they are talking about, they can’t expect voters to also understand. I think it is not factor,” he added.

Karmaine had reportedly told voters to be grateful despite low oil palm fruit prices.

He said the palm oil prices had fallen as low as RM270 a tonne, adding that the situation however had been worse in the past.

BN and MCA candidate Wee Jeck Seng, who has been playing up the issue, alleged that Karmaine’s remarks on the matter showed that he was disconnected from the rural poor.

The Tanjung Piai by-election is being held following the death of its incumbent Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, 42, on Sept 21 following a heart attack.

In the 14th general election, Dr Farid won the parliamentary seat with a 524-vote majority, triumphing over Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng (BN-MCA) and Nordin Othman (Pas).

Source: NST