KUALA LUMPUR, Mar 2 — Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders have responded jubilantly to their victory in the Semenyih by-election, as Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders gracefully conceded defeat.

From the BN command centre with other party leaders, Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki thanked Semenyih constituents after BN wrested the Selangor state seat from PH in a race that PAS sat out to make way for BN.

"God be praised, we have won the by-election for the state assembly seat. This is a victory for the rakyat!" he said.

 

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Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman tweeted his congratulations to BN.

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"To the residents of Semenyih I humbly apologise if there were any shortcomings. Thank you to the Harapan machinery who did not know the meaning of tiredness. This family will continue to move forward in introspection," he said.

 

 

Wanita Umno chief Datuk Noraini Ahmad said BN’s victory clearly indicated Muslim support for Umno’s alliance with PAS.

“Besides that, BN’s victory in Semenyih can be considered a referendum on the people’s protest against Pakatan Harapan (PH) for failing to fulfill their promises,” she said in a statement.

MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong extended his congratulations to the new Semenyih assemblyman Zakaria Hanafi.

"He has been given the mandate by the rakyat, in winning the seat. This will strengthen the Opposition in the state assembly. YB Zakaria will shoulder his responsibilities as ADUN as well as to provide a check and balance in Selangor," he wrote in a Facebook post.

Wee also took a swipe at Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, saying he should have listened more closely to the rakyat's woes and viewed seriously the issues surrounding the economy and daily living.

"The government should work tirelessly to boost the national economic growth so that its benefits can be felt by the rakyat, instead of constantly attempting to attract or invite Opposition parliamentarians to join Bersatu or PH," the Ayer Hitam MP said.

 

 

Election Commission (EC) returning officer Datuk Mohd Sayuthi Bakar announced Zakaria's victory with a majority of 1,914 votes as he had obtained 19,780 votes, over PH candidate from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) Muhammad Aiman Zainali who won 17,866 votes.

Independent candidate Kuan Chee Heng obtained 725 votes, while Parti Sosialis Malaysia's (PSM) Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul secured 847 votes.

Voter turnout was reported at 73.24 per cent, the highest of all by-elections since the 14th general election.

BN’s victory was a stunning reversal of PH’s majority of almost 9,000 votes in the 14th general election that saw both parties running against PAS and PSM.