(By Muin Abdul Majid)
SEMENYIH — His voice amplified by speakers, Parti Amanah Negara vice-president Datuk Hasanuddin Mohd Yunus touted the advantages of Semenyih remaining with Pakatan Harapan (PH) while campaigning ahead of the Semenyih by-election next week.
The Hulu Langat member of parliament (MP) had come down to the Beranang morning market to back PH’s candidate for the seat, Muhammad Aiman Zainali (pic).
In urging voters to pick Muhammad Aiman in the March 2 polls, Hasanuddin noted that as an MP it would be difficult for him to interact with an assemblyman who was not from the same political side. Semenyih is one of two state constituencies under Hulu Langat – the other being Dusun Tua.
“I’m not one who approves projects like building mosques or schools for example. My role is being some sort of a pressure group and I need a state assemblyman from Semenyih who is able to join me in asking the government to provide suitable allocations for the people here,” he told Bernama later.
“That’s why I need Aiman to be voted in,” he said of the 30-year-old engineer who is also the treasurer of the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) Hulu Langat division.
Hasanuddin’s commitment in ensuring a successful PH outing in the polls was also evident.
“I willingly postponed a number of engagements this morning when asked to come and support Aiman here,” he said.
Yesterday saw PH bigwigs such as PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PH president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail making their rounds in Semenyih with multiple engagements with the people and voters in this semi-urban constituency.
PH leaders who have been a constant presence in Semenyih since the nomination of candidates on Feb 16 include Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his deputy Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali as well as Selangor PH chairman Amirudin Shari.
Other PH leaders who had taken part in programmes during the ongoing campaigning period included Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof, DAP deputy chairman Gobind Singh Deo, PKR vice-presidents Zuraida Kamaruddin and Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar as well as Bersatu’s Srikandi head Datuk Seri Rina Harun and Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
In his campaign pitch for the PH candidate, Selangor Amanah communications chief Jamzuri Ardani said Malaysia could go on a downward spiral like what was happening to a South American country if the government did not take measures to bring back Malaysia’s finances on track.
“That’s why the PH government is being very responsible as it takes steps to improve the country’s finances to enable it to fulfil its pledges to the people,” he said.
Muhammad Aiman himself has truly immersed himself in campaigning for the by-election with packed schedules being the norm for him and other candidates eyeing the Semenyih prize.
He expressed gratitude to PH leaders and grassroots for all the assistance rendered when met at a gotong-royong event doing his campaign rounds today.
The aspirant assemblyman was also taking criticism against him in his stride, such as the one he received when he promised to resolve a local issue immediately if he was chosen as assemblyman.
Muhyiddin had since explained that Muhammad Aiman had perhaps got carried away but the episode showed how enthusiastic the young man was to serve the people of Semenyih.
The PH candidate said that brickbats that had come his way had strengthened his resolve and that criticism by his detractors would not in the slightest slow him down.
The by-election will see a four-cornered tussle between Muhammad Aiman, Zakaria Hanafi of Barisan Nasional (BN), independent candidate Kuan Chee Heng and Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) Nik Abdul Aziz Afiq.
The seat fell vacant following the death of its incumbent, Bakhtiar Mohd Nor of PH, who died of a heart attack on Jan 11.
— BERNAMA
