NIBONG TEBAL: With less than 48 hours to go before polling, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged voters in Sungai Bakap to reject hate politics.
Anwar's senior political secretary, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, said, said the PM's speech at the Finance Ministry's monthly assembly on Tuesday, where he had lamented about hate politics, was also meant for voters in Sungai Bakap to reject hate politics.
He said Anwar was aggrieved with opposition leaders, who during their campaign in the by-election had insulted him with words such as "dajjal."
"So I think the message to the people of Sungai Bakap is to reject hate politics.
"The prime minister himself was born in Sungai Bakap.
"So let us take this opportunity to support our candidate (Pakatan Harapan's Dr Joohari Ariffin), who is in sync with the state and federal governments," he said at Bilik Gerakan Utama Perpaduan here.
On Tuesday, Anwar had lamented about hate politics in the country, which he said was "too strong."
He, however, said it would not stop the government from doing its job.
Shamsul also criticised opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, who had asked if voicing out the public's concerns about various issues was "hate politics."
"Let me reiterate that Datuk Seri Anwar is a prime minister who provides the space every Tuesday to answer queries in Parliament.
"I am disappointed that the opposition leader and other leaders (in the opposition) rarely stand up to ask and use the forum to raise people's concerns directly with the prime minister.
"There is no need to use media statements or social media when there is a forum to do so.
"I'm confident that voters in Sungai Bakap are wise about whom to choose and will use this opportunity to ensure Joohari's victory."
Joohari faces Perikatan Nasional's Abidin Ismail on Saturday.