MELAKA: While other candidates are thinking up new ways to campaign, Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia’s (Putra) candidate for Pengkalan Batu, Dr Mohd Aluwi Sari, walks at least 20km each day to hand out flyers.

       His day starts as early 7.30am after his breakfast, when he will start distributing his pamphlets house to house.

       “I walked almost about 15-20km today, and will meet my voters one by one.

       “I prefer to do it this way,” he said when met at the side of the road near Bukit Piatu here yesterday.

       Wearing a red-and-yellow t-shirt with the slogan “I choose Putra, clean, and with morals”, Mohd Aluwi said he would take the time to talk and send messages to voters.

       “If you are a voter, if you just see my name on the card, you won’t know who I am.

       “Since the current standard operating procedure does not allow us to hold ceramah, I need to introduce myself like this,” said the first-timer, who will be throwing his hat into a five-cornered ring against Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, and Independent candidate Datuk Norhizam Hassan Baktee.

       Asked if he feels anxious contesting against the big names, he said that each candidate has their own advantage.

       “I think my advantage is that I am good at managing an organisation and providing community services to the rakyat,” he said, adding that he has had experience working under the Melaka chief minister’s office.

       When asked about his vision for Pengkalan Batu, he said he will develop a plan to help more Melakans get higher education qualifications.

       He said that although his party champions the rights and privileges of Malays and the bumiputra, the Federal Constitution still protects the rights of others.

       “As a chief of the Melaka Putra chapter, I will do my best to help all, regardless of their background,” he added.

       Putra is fielding five candidates at the upcoming Melaka polls.

       Aside from Mohd Aluwi, its women’s bureau chief Laila Norinda Maon, 44, will represent the party in the Gadek seat.

       Others are Putra youth chief Mohamad Hashidi Mohd Zin, 32, the party’s youngest candidate, who will contest in Paya Rumput, as well as Melaka Putra division heads Mohd Faizal Amzah, 44, at Duyong, and Nazatul Ashraf Md Dom, 38, at Sungai Rambai.