PUTRAJAYA, July 25- The Barisan Nasional (BN)’s victory in the Kuala Besut state seat by-election Wednesday shows that the people still need the ruling coalition’s leadership.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who stated this, said with the win, it also meant that PAS’ 16:16 theory was dead and gone.
“I hope PAS accepts the fact that the people of Terengganu still need BN and let us resolve to form a government that is fair to all in Terengganu,” he said.
Another party vice-president, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who shared Ahmad Zahid’s views, said BN’s win in Kuala Besut also rejected the opposition’s claim that the people’s support for BN had declined.
“Congratulations and I thank all the voters in Kuala Besut who went out to vote, thus carrying out their responsibility for the country,” he said.
In the by-election, BN candidate Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abd Rahman defeated the PAS candidate, Endot@Azlan Yusof, with a 2,592-vote majority.
He also expressed his confidence in the ability of Tengku Zaihan, 37, to give the best service to the constituents.
“He is young and has tremendous potential. This (victory) is a good sign of the people’s support for the BN.
“The increase in majority shows an encouraging performance and hopefully it will spur all BN members to raise their contributions and fighting spirit,” he said.
In the contest, Tengku Zaihan obtained 8,288 votes while Azlan secured 5,696 voters.
Voter turnout was 14,108 or 80 per cent. There were 125 spoilt votes.
The Kuala Besut seat fell vacant on June 26 following the death of BN assemblyman Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar. He had won the seat with a 2,434 majority in the general election, on May 5, by beating Napisah Ismail of PAS.
– BERNAMA
