PONTIAN: The people need not vote for the opposition in the Nov 16 by-election for the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat, just to get the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s attention, said PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.
While acknowledging the tight contest, he also expressed confidence in the integrity of PH candidate Karmaine Sardini and has directed the PKR election machinery to give their full support to Karmaine, who is also the Tanjung Piai division chief for Bersatu.
Anwar said a PKR briefing on election preparations had pointed out grouses of constituents about several issues.
“We hear them ... the grouses of farmers, fishermen, smallholders ... the unemployment of graduates ... the health and education facilities,“ he told reporters after a casual discussion held at PKR’s Tanjung Piai branch office here.
Anwar said the PH government was also listening through the presence of various leaders in Tanjung Piai in support of Karmaine, such as Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal.
Asked about the low turn-out of Tanjung Piai constituents at PH campaign speeches, he replied “That’s normal. People want to hear ... Anwar as Oppostion Leader and Anwar as PH now, is not the same. The issues are the same but the tone is different,“ he said with a smile.
He added that the contest for the by-election was not a speech contest but a contest on content and the ability to garner support.
Present with Anwar was Dr Sahruddin who is also PH’s Tanjung Piai by-election director, as well as several PKR Johor leaders. — Bernama
