NIBONG TEBAL: Sungai Bakap voters, who will be going to the polls this Saturday, have one important message for the incoming assemblyman.
Irrespective of who wins, they want an elected representative who does not play favourites.
Abdul Razak Ramli, 52, said they did not appreciate an elected representative who favours one group over the other.
He said he dared to say so as it had happened previously.
"My advice to whoever is voted in this time around, 'jangan pilih bulu'.
"The elected representative must be fair to all in whatever he does. If he wants to hand out aid, he must give it to everybody who is deserving and not only those deserving from the political party he represents.
"This will put the people off and we will not vote for you in the future.
"As it is, the Malay parties are already fragmented. So, the new elected representative must strive to win the hearts of all," he said when met in Kampung Sungai Buaya here.
Razak is not working currently as he has to look after his bedridden mother.
Another voter, Mazlina Md Hashim, 40, who runs an eatery, said the new elected representative should not only favour his own kind.
"'Tok sah pilih adik beradik sahaja' (Don't only favour your own people).
"Be fair to all and assist whoever is in need and deserving," she added.
Mazlina said she knew of people, especially those in the low income group, who did not receive any assistance although they were eligible for aid.
"Assist those who are really in need. For people like us, we can work hard to make a living, but not (some) others out there," she said.
Saturday's battle will see a straight fight between Pakatan Harapan's Dr Joohari Ariffin and Perikatan Nasional's Abidin Ismail.
The state seat had long been a stronghold of Barisan Nasional and subsequently Pakatan Harapan, until it was lost it to Pas' Nor Zamri Latiff in the state elections last year.
Nor Zamri's death on May 24 triggered the by-election.
Last week, voters in Kampung Besar Sungai Kechil wanted whomever is voted in to demand answers from the state government about the drastic increase in the state's water tariff.