GEORGE TOWN: PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin has urged the public not to evaluate Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Muhammad Aiman Zainali’s confidence level in front of the media, solely based on a video that has gone viral on social media.
She said Muhammad Aiman’s situation was common among new political members who had never been exposed to so much media attention.
“It is not fair to judge Muhammad Aiman’s ability through the way he interacts with the media, and as a young politician, the PH candidate may be a little apprehensive on answering questions from journalists.
“However, in terms of interacting with residents and delivering talks, he has no problems,“ she told reporters, here today.
She was met by reporters after launching the association ‘Persatuan Demi Rakyat Pulau Pinang’ at the Bayu Nyaman Apartment building in Bayan Lepas, here today.
Zuraida, who is also Housing and Local Government Minister, said according to surveys conducted by the coalition, the support level for the PH candidate was also higher than before the campaign period.
She said the four component parties of PH were also actively supporting the candidate, by conducting door-to-door visits.
“At the moment, the situation is 60-40, with the PH candidate ahead based on feedback received by our machinery via followup calls. However, we cannot take it easy because the figure can change as some voters may not decide to go out to vote, so the machinery must continue to carry out work with 100% commitment,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Zuraida dismissed an allegation by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang that the PKR was not doing its part to assist Bersatu’s Muhammad Aiman in the by-election, saying she herself was in Semenyih almost every other day to manage the PH machinery, especially the female wings of all the component parties.
Muhammad Aiman faces a four-cornered fight against Barisan Nasional candidate Zakaria Hanafi; Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul and Independent, Kuan Chee Heng, who is better known as ‘Uncle Kentang’.
The Semenyih by-election is being held following the death of its incumbent, Bakhtiar Mohd Nor, 57 - who was also Muhammad Aiman’s father-in-law - on Jan 11, after suffering a heart attack. — Bernama
