Simpang Jeram’s Perikatan candidate Dr Mazri confident of attracting Pakatan-BN supporters after Zahid Hamidi’s DNAA
MUAR, Sept 6 — Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) Simpang Jeram candidate Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya was confident that the coalition would benefit from swing votes by disgruntled Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters at the polls this weekend, following Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA).
He said that the High Court's decision on Monday to grant Ahmad Zahid a DNAA was a wrong signal to PH and BN supporters, and will lead to a positive impact for PN on polling day.
“I want to call on all Simpang Jeram voters to come out in strength and vote to show their displeasure at the PH-BN leadership this Saturday.
“They need to translate their unhappiness through the polls as a signal to the ruling PH-BN government that they are in the wrong direction following Monday’s High Court decision,” said Dr Mohd Mazri during the Sembang Ikon Muda talk show that was featured on Facebook today.
He was commenting on the impact on both PH and BN, following Ahmad Zahid being granted a DNAA by the High Court on Monday.
“I would describe the decision as a "Black Monday” for the country’s legal process.
“The integrity that DAP and PKR (PH components) championed for the past 25 years in their quest to topple Umno only showed that they have become political hypocrites,” he said.
Dr Mohd Mazri believed that this would contribute to the so-called "green wave” that will benefit PN.
He said that it is more accurately termed as the people’s wave and was made up of those in Umno as well as non-Muslims from other races.
“These supporters want to give us their votes not because they support PAS (or PN), but due to the fact that they are dissatisfied with the current leadership.
“This will hopefully benefit PN,” said Dr Mohd Mazri, adding that PN would need as many voters to turn up on polling day to ensure victory for the coalition in Simpang Jeram.
Dr Mohd Mazri will go against PH candidate Bakri Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) deputy division chief Nazri Abdul Rahman and independent candidate S. Jeganathan in a three-cornered contest for the Simpang Jeram state by-election.
In the last Johor state election, PH successfully defended the state seat when the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub won with a majority of 2,389 votes over PN candidate Zarul Salleh and BN’s Datuk Lokman Md Don.
Former political foes PH and BN are now allied, having joined forces after the 15th general election (GE15) last year to deny PN control of the federal government.
The Election Commission has fixed polling day for both the Pulai and Simpang Jeram by-elections this Saturday.
The two by-elections were called after Salahuddin, who was the incumbent for both seats, died on July 23 due to a brain haemorrhage. He was 61.
Salahuddin was Amanah deputy president and the domestic trade and cost of living minister.
