PUTRAJAYA: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is confident of winning the Tanjung Piai by-election, with signs showing many voters who supported the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the last general election are now supporting Pakatan Harapan (PH), said Bersatu chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“We are aware of the problems there (Tanjung Piai), we believe we can address the problems,“ he told reporters after chairing Bersatu Supreme Council meeting here yesterday.
However, Mahathir said there are still constituents in who still regard him as Umno president.
“This, we have to face. I’m no longer Umno president. I am now Bersatu chairman and PH Prime Minister.
“I’ll go to the ground to campaign this Wednesday (Nov 13) and hope by then, they no longer regard me as Umno president.
Asked whether his presence in the Tanjung Piai by-election campaign would be a crowd puller to get the locals to attend the “ceramah” (political talks) organised by PH, Mahathir said: “I don’t know, we see the day after tomorrow.”
This Saturday (Nov 16) is polling for the Tanjung Piai by-election, which is called following the death of the incumbent Member of Parliament Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, 42, last Sept 21 due to heart complications.
The PH candidate in the by-election is Karmaine Sardini, who is vying for the seat against Barisan Nasional (BN), Gerakan, Berjasa dan two Independent candidates.
On the number of Bersatu members, Mahathir said the number was increasing, with the highest number in Sabah, totalling about 500,000 since. — Bernama
