KUALA BESUT, July 17 ― Barisan Nasional (BN) is putting its entire might behind its campaign machinery here as it brings several big names today to stump for its candidate Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman for the by-election just days away.

At least six ministers will be in town today to conduct separate events for their own ministries barely one week after nomination day, turning a usually dry day into a logistical nightmare for reporters covering poll in the sleepy fishing town.

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has already visited the town three times since last week, including yesterday when he vouched for Tengku Zaihan during a secondary school groundbreaking ceremony.

“I ask for you ladies and gentlemen to give him a chance ... He is the most suitable and best choice, he has education and knowledge,” said Muhyiddin, who is also BN’s by-election director.

Today, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein will touch down in the Gong Kedak air force base operated by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), just across the border in Kelantan.

He is scheduled to hand over the keys to new homes for RMAF veterans in the nearby Kampung Tok Beris, which falls under the Kuala Besut state seat.

Youth and Sports Minister and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin will visit the district voting centre in Kampung Baharu here, before breaking his fast in Kampung Tok Saboh.

His Cabinet colleague, Datuk Rahman Dahlan, the minister of urban wellbeing, housing and local government, will be in Pulau Perhentian handing over grants to the Fire Department there before heading back to Kuala Besut for the breaking of fast.

The Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin will also have their respective events here today.

Muhyiddin’s plea to the voters has also been repeated by other ministers during their events here, including Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said.

Last week, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan called on Kuala Besut residents to vote for BN in return for their Besut MP Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh being appointed a minister.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, however, had flashed the racial card when he reportedly warned the predominantly-Malay Kuala Besut voters that the largely Chinese DAP would helm the east coast state even if PAS won the constituency in the by-election.

The might of BN’s machinery has even been acknowledged by PAS by-election director Datuk Husam Musa this week, who claimed that BN has still not gone into top gear.

“Although there is a possibility for us to win this time, it will be hard to achieve,” he was reported as saying in a rally here.

BN’s Tengku Zaihan faces local boy from PAS, Azlan Yusof, for the Terengganu state seat in the July 24 by-election that was called following the death of the ruling coalition’s Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar on June 26 from lung cancer.

In Election 2013, Dr Rahman had defeated PAS’s Napisah Ismail with a comfortable 2,434-vote majority. The state seat has 17,679 registered voters, of whom 98 per cent are Malays.