KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan's (PH) success in securing six out of eight polling districts in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election demonstrates Malay voters are no longer swayed by racial and religious sentiments, a top Umno leader said.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the six polling districts are Malay-majority areas won by Perikatan Nasional (PN) during last year's Selangor state election.
"This proves that there is a change in the attitude among Malay voters and that playing up racial and religious sentiments will no longer guarantee votes from them.
"It also shows that they are beginning to understand that the unity government, which was formed under the decree of the (previous) Yang di-Pertuan Agong, never neglected Islam and Malay-Bumiputera agendas.
"Instead, they saw that both agendas (for Islam and Malay-Bumiputera) continued to be strengthened (under the unity government) as the foundation of the stability of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country," said Asyraf in a posting on his Facebook account.
The social media posting was accompanied with an image showing the Malay-majority polling districts won by PH during the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, which concluded yesterday.
The polling districts are Kerling, Kampung Baharu Rasa, Kampung Baharu China KKB, Lembah Beringin, Pekan Rasa and Hulu Yam.
In the same posting, Asyraf also congratulated Umno election machinery who have helped PH candidate Pang Sock Tao to win the state seat in the by-election.
"As one of 19 parties that have helped to form the unity government, Umno will continue to safeguard Islam and Malay-Bumiputera agendas as per the agreement agreed by all (parties in the federal administration).
"What is important is that this new political landscape must be empowered for the stability of the country and welfare of the people," he said.
DAP retained the state seat after its candidate, Pang Sock Tao, won with a majority of 3,869 votes. She polled 14,000 votes to defeat three other contenders in the by-election.