MELAKA: As campaigning for the Melaka election passes its halfway mark, candidates are stepping up their efforts to capture the 28 seats up for grabs.
With only five days to polling, former chief minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali, who is standing in Lendu, has shifted his focus to areas deemed “grey” – those that gave him a lukewarm response in the 14th General Election (GE14).
“I will continue to court them and have asked my party election machinery to work doubly hard in these areas.
“We need to listen to the electorate’s concerns,” he said in an interview.
Sulaiman assured voters that he would not let up on his efforts despite the movement restrictions under the standard operating procedure for the Melaka election.
He also vowed to fulfil the manifesto drawn up by Barisan Nasional for the polls.
The Barisan candidate for Klebang, Datuk Lim Ban Hong, said he had his comrades to thank for making his campaigning a comprehensive one on the ground.
The Melaka MCA state liaison committee chairman attributed the closeness between the coalition’s component parties to his Klebang service centre, which he said continued operations even after he lost the state seat in the last general election in 2018.
“The people here have been contacting me and reaching out to the service centre for help throughout the years.
“Having the team here has certainly helped the people. This shows we have what it takes to continue serving the constituents,” he said.
Lim, who is also Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister, said he and his team had visited many places and covered almost all areas in every polling stream so far.
“We are also utilising our online platforms to reach out to as many voters as possible because every vote counts,” he added.
Datuk Koh Chin Han, who is contesting the Bemban seat, said with all nine polling streams covered, it was a true portrayal of the Malaysian Family concept.
The state MCA secretary said all teams at the polling streams were working hard to support him.
“I’m thankful to my Barisan teammates.
“I have been meeting voters through breakfast sessions, community programmes, meetings and dine-ins, and the sentiment towards us is promising,” he said.
Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Seri Idris Haron, who joined PKR after being sacked from Umno recently, were seen in Asahan since late afternoon yesterday.
Anwar, who was campaigning for former chief minister Idris, met locals in Kampung Ong Lok near Taman Sri Hilir for a Deepavali event along with Pakatan supporters and PKR leaders including former Batu MP Tian Chua, Bukit Lanjan assemblyman Elizabeth Wong and outgoing Machap Baru assemblyman Ginie Lim.
Pakatan supporters were seen distributing packed food and drinks to the locals.
The media tried in vain to interview Anwar at the event.
“I cannot speak to you because I could get fined. Sorry,” the Port Dickson MP said briefly before he departed for the next location in his black Jaguar.
When approached by reporters, Ginie also refused to comment on PKR’s decision to drop her as a candidate in the upcoming state election.
“I cannot speak to you now. After the election, okay?” she said.
Ginie served as a one-term Machap Jaya assemblyman. In GE14, she won the seat with 5,550 votes against MCA’s 4,214 and PAS’ 775.She is assisting Pakatan in its campaigning for the Asahan seat, which falls under the Alor Gajah constituency. She is presently the Alor Gajah PKR division chief.
In GE14, Umno won the seat narrowly with 5,942 votes against Pakatan’s 5,667 and PAS’ 1,365.