KULIM, Dec 3 — Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk C. Sivaraj will abide by the coalition’s decision to make way for the Pakatan Harapan candidate in the Padang Serai parliamentary election.
Sivaraj said in a statement today that the decision needed to be accepted as party interests should take priority above other interests.
“I wish all party machinery and friends in the media a big thank you for helping my fight here, not only during the campaigning period but since the first day I started here three years ago.
“I also would like to express my gratitude to the BN supreme leadership for the opportunity given to me throughout the three years here in the Padang Serai parliamentary constituency,” he said, adding he had decided to continue to serve Padang Serai constituency residents with whatever problems they face, even if he could not help resolve bigger issues.
Sivaraj also requested Prime Minister Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Federal Government to focus on the issues highlighted in his ‘Lima Tekad untuk Padang Serai’ manifesto.
“Padang Serai is far behind in all aspects. It is not fair for residents here to continue to be neglected,” he said.
Meanwhile, Harapan candidate Mohamad Sofee Razak welcomed BN’s decision to withdraw from the election, saying that the move was a starting point towards a successful Unity Government concept in Kedah.
“I am very thankful and respect the decision made by BN. This is a very clear indicator of unity. Alhamdulillah, we have managed to form a Unity Government at the federal level,” he said but added he had yet to discuss the matter face-to-face with Sivaraj and would only be meeting up with the Padang Serai MIC division chief and committee members this evening.
With four days remaining till polling day, Mohamad Sofee said the party machinery was currently engaged in informing all BN voters in Padang Serai to vote for Harapan.
“As BN and Parti Warisan are still listed on the ballot papers, we will leave it to the BN leadership to inform and convince their members and supporters to vote for Harapan this December 7.
“We need to go and meet voters to inform them of this matter as maybe youth and those with access to social media won’t have problems, but we certainly need to meet those in rural areas.
“Currently in our campaign, we need to inform that Harapan and BN are together as a government and we will move together from now,” he said.
Kedah BN chairman Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom memaklumkan BN agreed yesterday to make way for Harapan for the Padang Serai election.
Besides Mohamad Sofee and Sivaraj, Perikatan Nasional candidate Datuk Azman Nasrudin, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air’s Hamzah Abd Rahman, Warisan’s Mohd Bakhri Hashim and Independent candidate Sreanandha Rao, are slated to contest for the seat.
Warisan had previously pulled out of the contest, but the party’s logo will still appear on the ballot papers.
— Bernama
