PUTRAJAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) is banking on the support of Umno members in the Sungai Bakap state constituency in Penang to help the unity government create an upset against the opposition in the July 6 by-election, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
The Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the BN chairman, said the coalition is ramping up efforts to ensure that the majority of the 5,105 Umno members in the constituency will vote for the unity government candidate in the by-election.
Zahid, who is Umno president, said BN will not only focus on canvassing support from Malay voters but also from electorates of other ethnicities with the help of MCA, MIC, and Friends of BN.
"Our focus is on Umno voters while also aiming to attract the support from Malay voters (who are fence sitters).
Additionally, BN component parties such as MCA, MIC, and Friends of BN have mobilised their respective election machineries to reach out to voters from other ethnicities in Sungai Bakap.
"We are maximizing our efforts in our bid to secure a large number of votes for the unity government candidate in the by-election," he told reporters after a special meeting programme with participants and organisers of the mid-season cup for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang 2024, Moonton Games Malaysia here today.
The unity government, through Pakatan Harapan, has announced former teacher Dr Joohari Ariffin as its candidate for the Sungai Bakap by-election.
The by-election is being held following the death of its assemblyman, Nor Zamri Latiff of Pas on May 24.
Earlier this month, the Election Commission has fixed tomorrow (June 22) as the nomination for the by-election and July 2 as early voting day.
There are 39,279 eligible voters, including 57 police personnel, in the state constituency.
During the Penang state election in August last year, Nor Zamri won the seat after he polled 15,433 votes against PH's Nurhidayah Che Rose who obtained 13,870 votes.