PEKAN, July 2 — Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Chini state by-election Mohd Sharim Md Zain have met about 80 per cent of the total voters in the state constituency during his campaign so far.
With two days left, the 41-year-old candidate is intensifying his effort to meet the rest of the voters, especially in eight Felda settlements in Gugusan Felda Chini.
“I will continue my campaign until before midnight tomorrow to achieve my target of meeting with every single one of them (voters). I choose to focus on Gugusan Felda Chini because I have already met the voters in Orang Asli villages and traditional villages earlier as scheduled,” he told reporters when visiting Felda Chini Timur 1 here today.
Also present was Maran Umno division chief Datuk Seri Shahaniza Shamsuddin.
Mohd Sharim said his machinery was trying their best to ensure about 8,000 voters living outside Chini to return and cast their votes this Saturday.
“Yesterday, we have conducted two events with Chini voters in Kuantan and Putrajaya which were attended by some 200 people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Sharim opined that his contenders, the two independent candidates, have also been campaigning in a positive manner to win the hearts of the voters.
“They were positive in their campaigns and did not badmouth other candidates when they went to the ground to gain support from the voters here,” he said.
The Chini state by-election is a three-cornered fight between Mohd Sharim and two independent candidates, Tengku Datuk Zainul Hisham Tengku Hussin, 64, and Mohd Shukri Mohd Ramli, 49.
It is being held following the death of incumbent Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Harun, 60, on May 7.
During the 14th General Election, Abu Bakar defended the Chini state seat with a 4,622 vote-majority after securing 10,027 votes to defeat PAS candidate Mohd Fadhil Noor Abdul Karim (5,405) and Mohamad Razali Ithnain from PKR (1,065).
There are 20,990 registered voters in Chini state constituency comprising 20,972 normal voters and 18 early voters. — Bernama
