Day 1 Bn Win Will Boost Opposition Strength In Pas Held Kelantan

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NENGGIRI BY-ELECTION DAY 1 | The campaign for the Nenggiri by-election kicks off today.
It will be a straight fight between BN candidate Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani and Perikatan Nasional’s Mohd Rizwadi Ismail.
We report from time to time from the ground.
This concludes the first day of the Nenggiri by-election campaign.
Nenggiri Bersatu members quit party, join Umno
8.30pm: The Nenggiri Bersatu division in Gua Musang is allegedly crippled as hundreds of its members decided to quit the party and join Umno.
According to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, some 480 former Bersatu members made the move as they are upset with Perikatan Nasional’s decision to nominate former PAS leader Mohd Rizwadi Ismail as their candidate for the by-election.
“They decided to join (Umno) because they have lost confidence in Bersatu leadership. Perhaps they saw PAS taking advantage of Bersatu in their political cooperation.
“Despite the candidate having been registered as a Bersatu member, everyone knows that he had quit PAS just to represent PN in the by-election as per its formula - where a Bersatu member must contest Nenggiri seat because the party won it in the last election,” Zahid says during a ceremony where he accepted the group’s Umno membership applications.
BN win to boost opposition strength
5.30pm: Umno vice-president Johari Abdul Ghani says the Kelantan state legislative assembly should have more opposition members to balance out the PAS-dominated state administration.
If BN wins the Nenggiri by-election, he tells reporters, its candidate Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani can bring a stronger opposition voice for check and balance.
“In Kelantan, the state assembly is dominated by PAS as there are only two opposition representatives. So, if we (BN) win this seat, it can strengthen the opposition and bring a different view into the state assembly.
“There should be a balance in a state assembly, when a state government is strong it should also have a strong opposition. This will help provide checks and balances to the government, especially in stuff they might overlook,” Johari says, according to Berita Harian.
Nenggiri will remain BN stronghold - Zahid
12pm: BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has expressed hope that Nenggiri will remain a BN stronghold under the leadership of Gua Musang Umno chief Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Ku Li).
In addition, the Umno president said the BN candidate (Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani) can live up to the expectations and serve the constituents there.
"We are aware that voters below 40 years old are the majority in Nenggiri, and God willing, he (Azmawi) can not only represent the young voters in the constituency, but the younger generation in Gua Musang, and Kelantan, in general.
"God willing, under Ku Li's leadership, we are confident that BN and Umno supporters will continue backing us," Zahid told a press conference after accompanying Azmawi in the nomination process this morning. - Mkini

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