Citing Covid-19, Annuar Musa urges would-be contestants to give BN walkover in Chini

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa has reiterated his hope for the coalition to win the Chini by-election uncontested so as not to burden the public still dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking during a press conference today, Annuar stressed that given the current economic downturn and the remaining pandemic, an election campaign would be detrimental to public interest.

“I hope that there will be no contest so as not to burden the public.

“If there is a contest, there must be a campaign. But right now, we are still under the recovery movement control order (RMCO).

“And the late incumbent for the by-election was from Umno and BN. It would be better if there is no contest there,” said Annuar.

He added that BN will announce its candidate at the Pekan Umno office around 2.30pm today.

Yesterday, Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said the party will go all out to support the candidate who is from its Perikatan Nasional ally BN.

Earlier on June 6, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition announced that it will not contest in the by-election, citing the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic as the reason.

PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail explained that among the reasons that drove them to abandon the by-election was their worry for voters’ safety and well-being despite new SOPs set to be introduced.

The state by-election was called after the death of its BN assemblyman Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Harun on May 7.

Nomination day will take place on Saturday, June 20 while polling day will be on July 4.

So far, no independent candidates have named themselves for the contest.

Touching on Bersatu Supreme Council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan’s statement that Umno must make sacrifices to ensure the success of the PN coalition, Annuar said he fully supports the former’s call.

“I accept Wan Saiful’s statement. There is no problem. But it must not just be Umno. All parties must be willing to sacrifice and give full support to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“We should stop all these politics of personality. We have been on it for years. I think we have had enough of personality clout. In the end, the people’s problems are not addressed and resolved.

“We should focus on their issues such as housing, homelessness and poverty instead,” he said.