TANJUNG MALIM: Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi described the coalition's victory in the Slim by-election tonight as a positive signal for the upcoming Sabah state election.
"Praise to Allah that we managed to wrest 13 district polling centres (PDM). During the 14th General Election (GE14), we lost six PDMs but due to hard work, we managed to win them back.
"This shows that the voters miss Barisan Nasional and we will express that in the Sabah state election, and in the 15th General Election.
"We will do our best to attract more voters in Sabah to choose the coalition," said the Bagan Datuk member of Parliament when met at the BN command centre in Felda Trolak Residence, here, today.
The official tally saw BN's Mohd Zaidi Aziz winning the Slim by-election with a whopping 10,945-vote majority.
The two independent candidates contesting; Amir Kusyairi Mohamad Tanusi (backed by Pejuang) only garnered 2,115 while Professor S. Santharasekaran managed a mere 276 votes.
The Slim by-election fell vacant following the death of its incumbent, Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib who died on July 15 due to heart attack.
Ahmad Zahid also reminded Mohd Zaidi to fulfil the people's wishes and his promises to them, and to give his best in carrying on with the legacy of the late Mohd Khusairi.
"On behalf of the Umno family, BN party components, Friends of BN, Pas, Bersatu and all politicians who helped us to win with a huge majority in this by-election, I would like to thank them.
"I would also like to thank Bossku (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) and media members who have been working day and night covering the campaign period and finally, congratulations, YB Zaidi Aziz (for winning the by-election)," he said.
In the 14th General Election (GE14), Mohd Khusairi retained the Slim state seat with a majority of 2,183 votes, defeating Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) which was represented by Mohd Amran Ibrahim from PKR and Pas candidate, Muhammad Zulfadli Zainal.
There are 22,749 voters in this semi-rural constituency of which 75 percent of voters are Malay, followed by Indians (13 percent), Chinese (10 percent), and others (two percent).