KUALA LUMPUR – The Nenggiri by-election will be a battleground for Umno to regain its dignity after losing its stronghold in last year’s Kelantan election.
State Umno Youth chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, who is speculated to represent Barisan Nasional (BN) in the race, told Scoop the focus should be on securing the seat, not the identity of the candidate.
“Umno and BN must win Nenggiri as a way to win back our dignity. It doesn’t matter who is fielded as long as the candidate is contesting with our banners.
“Even though Gua Musang (parliamentary constituency) is an Umno stronghold, our election machinery needs to convince Nenggiri voters to return to the fold.
“Nenggiri has had a taste of a Bersatu representative, and voters can compare and see for themselves who is worthy of their support.”
Azmawi added that Umno must not underestimate the competition even though it would be facing Bersatu and not PAS, which has dominated elections on the peninsula’s east coast.
“Our chances stand at fifty-fifty. The deciding factor would be the voters below the age of 40, who make up 62% of the electoral roll. We were down 810 votes (winning majority in 2023).
“We have some catching up to do. That’s the reality.”
Incumbent and former Bersatu man Mohd Azizi Abu Naim won in August’s state polls by securing 6,517 votes (53.31%), narrowly beating BN’s Ab Aziz Yusoff, who garnered 5,707 votes. Only 61.09% of the 20,219 registered voters headed for the ballot box.
Aside from Azmawi, Gua Musang Umno has proposed its information chief Amran Arifin and women’s head Nor Fadzlete Aryani Mat Rosli as candidates.
It is learnt that Azmawi has gotten the nod from division chief Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who is also the party’s election director.
Previously, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the name of its candidate had been submitted to Kelantan chief Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub for a reveal any time before nomination day on August 3.
Nenggiri heads to the polls on August 17 and early voting is on August 13. – July 15, 2024