YAN, Nov 4 — Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has described the success of the Barisan Nasional (BN) in reducing PAS’s majority by more than half in today’s Sungai Limau election as a victory in itself.
“In that aspect, it is a good victory even though we failed to win this seat (Sg Limau), and as we said before the by-election, win or lose, it has no impact,” he told reporters at the BN’s by-election operations room here tonight.
He said the BN accepted the result but promised that the BN would not stop efforts to get close to “sekolah pondok” (madrasahs) as pledged by the coalition in its manifesto for the 13th General Election in May, in upholding the teachings of Islam.
“We will keep our promises because from the government’s perspective, we do not practise favouritism,” he said.
He said the BN government in the state would also deliver two projects it announced, namely a road linking Guar Chempedak and Pulau Bunting, and the proposal to build a port on the island.
PAS retained the Sungai Limau state seat with a 1,084-vote majority when its candidate, Mohd Azam Abd Samat, 37, garnered 12,069 votes against Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim, 52, who polled 10,985 votes.
However, Azam acquired only 61 per cent of the 2,774-vote majority won by incumbent, the late Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak, who held the seat for five terms.
The results also showed that 4.4 per cent of the votes shifted in the BN’s favour compared to the 13th General Election (GE13).
In GE13, BN candidate Mohd Fazillah Mohd Ali obtained 10,520 votes while Sohaimi received 10,985 votes, an increase of 465 votes.
On factors contributing to the BN’s defeat, Mukhriz said it was not due to the candidate chosen as both parties fielded candidates having similar charisma. — Bernama
