SHAH ALAM, July 24 — PKR candidate for Sungai Kandis state by-election Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni today described his challenger from Barisan Nasional (BN) Datuk Lokman Noor Adam as being less state-centric for focusing more on national issues in the campaign for the by-election scheduled for August 4.
He said the BN candidate should understand that the by-election was for a state seat and matters pertaining to the state, the state constituency and the constituents were the ones that should be given more attention.
“That is why my campaign is focusing on local issues, such as basic amenities and infrastructure, as well as human capital development, to ensure that the people will be able to live comfortably and safely,” he told a press conference here today.
Mohd Zawawi said this in response to a media report which stated that Lokman Noor’s campaign was focusing more on national issues, such as the proposed closure of tahfiz schools, clarification on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issues and criticism on Pakatan Harapan manifesto.
If he received the mandate to lead the constituency, Mohd Zawawi said his main focus would be in creating a safe community through relevant programmes as being implemented in many states and districts in the developed countries.
He said this was to ensure comfort and security to the residents of the districts, which are mostly in rural areas.
Apart from Lokman, Mohd Zawawi is also being challenged by Independent candidate K. Murthy.
The by-election is being called following the death of incumbent Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei of lymphoma cancer on July 2.
In the May 9 general election, Mat Shuhaimi retained the state seat for PKR for the third time after garnering 23,998 votes to defeat BN’s Datuk Kamaruzzaman Johari who secured 11,518 votes, PAS’ Mohd Yusof Abdullah (7,573) and Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s (PRM) candidate Hanafiah Husin (76). — Bernama
