PEKAN: As the Chini by-election campaigning entered its fifth day today, Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Mohd Sharim Md Zain is stepping up the pace to reach more people in the constituency.
He said the BN machinery will be putting up more posters and flags and intensifying its online campaigning to circumvent the limitations in face-to-face meetings in view of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO).
Mohd Sharim, 41, said youths from UMNO and PAS will be mobilised to put up campaign materials.
“Some posters and flags have been installed but more will be put up as the campaign progresses,” he told reporters at a walkabout session at Bandar Dara, near here, today.
Mohd Sharim said the BN machinery had been slower than usual in installing the campaign materials because the workers were careful not to violate the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the Election Commission.
“Now, there are many SOPs to contain the spread of COVID-19; that is the main factor for the delay (in installing materials),” he said.
Mohd Sharim said he had received good feedback from the people especially the younger generation when campaigning online through Facebook and Instagram.
“We will continue to hold our live ‘ceramah’ (political talks) as we did before with UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and the PAS leadership.
“In both online ceramah, I was given the opportunity to introduce myself and deliver speeches. Opportunities like these are the best as I can disseminate information to more voters, including UMNO and PAS members,” he said.
Mohd Sharim is confident that BN could garner 95 per cent of votes in the by-election, as predicted by Pekan UMNO chief Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“As a candidate, I will continue to meet with voters to ensure that I get their trust as a settler representative in the Chini constituency,” he added.
Earlier, Mohd Sharim visited Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Chini 2, which resume its school session today, and ran into independent candidate Mohd Shukri Mohd Ramli, 49, at a restaurant during a walkabout session.
The by-election is a three-cornered fight involving Mohd Sharim, Mohd Shukri and another independent candidate, Tengku Datuk Zainul Hisham Tengku Hussin. Polling is on July 4.
— BERNAMA
