PASIR PUTEH, April 26 – It is not impossible for Kelantan Barisan Nasional (BN) to spring a bigger surprise by winning 30 state seats, seven more than the targeted 23 out of the total of 45, in the 13th general election. Kelantan BN chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the optimism was based on the unexpected level of the people’s positive response since nomination day.
“The changing scenario is obvious, especially in Pasir Puteh where many PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) have quietly or openly joined Umno.”
He said this after speaking at a special gathering with over 1,000 members of the Pasir Puteh Umno election machinery in Cherang Ruku, here, last night. Also present were the BN candidate for the Pasir Puteh parliamentary constituency Tuan Mustaffa Tuan Mat, and BN candidates for its four state seats, Mohd Rujhan Salleh (Limbungan), Zawawi Othman (Semerak), Redzuan Stapha (Gaal) and Zulkifli Ali (Selising).
Mustapa, who is also International Trade and Industry Minister, said the positive change was the result of the hard work put in by the whole BN election machinery for two years, especially in Pasir Puteh under the “Goodbye PAS” programme and “Red Wave” movement, attracting 40,000 to 50,000 at any BN event.
He said that based on this development, BN was expected to wrest back the Pasir Puteh parliamentary seat and its four state seats that were won by PAS in the last general election On Kelantan voters residing outside the state, Mustapa said many had changed their stand and would return to support BN, the result of Umno’s hard work that was better organised in each division in their effort to get close to these voters.
“This Sunday, it’s Pasir Puteh Umno’s turn to meet those Kelantan voters working in Kuala Lumpur,” he said, adding that such voters were also focused on by BN as they could be the deciding factor in the elections.
In the 2008 general election, PAS won 38 state seats, BN six and PKR one in Kelantan, but BN won back the Galas state seat in a by-election in 2010. As for parliamentary seats in the state, BN won two, PAS eight, PKR three while one seat was won by an independent.
BERNAMA
