Penang polls: 'Good looks are not a deciding factor in Kepala Batas'- Reezal Merican

KEPALA BATAS - Good looks are not a big deal in Kepala Batas; it's the sincerity and dedication to work that matter the most, says former Kepala Batas member of parliament Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

He said this when asked to comment on his rival, Khalid Mehtab Mohd Ishaq from Perikatan Nasional (PN), who is very popular on social media for his good looks.

In response to whether attracting voters with 'good looks' as part of campaigning is effective, Reezal stated that the people of Kepala Batas do not prioritise good looks as a primary criteria in electing their representatives.

"Firstly, I'm not ugly either. People in Kepala Batas do not see being good-looking as a major and important element in deciding their representative.

"It's about the feeling; you can fall in love; it could be great only for a short period of time, but for the long term, people want to see the sincerity and dedication," he said to Sinar Daily.

Commenting further, Reezal said that it takes a long time to get into the mind and the soul of the people, which is not easily earned in a five-year term.

"I and many of us grew up here together; these are not just five or 10 years ago; we have been here for more than 50 years.

"So the conviction is a lot stronger to allow a person to have, not just in their mind but in their heart and soul, to represent the voice of the people," he said.

Recently, a video showing Khalid walking into the nomination centre posted by a Twitter user, @amrufateh, garnered almost 700 thousand views.

The video caught the attention of voters, especially young voters, for Khalid's good looks, which could also be PN's campaign strategy.

Former Kepala Batas Member of Parliament Reezal and Khalid will be contesting for the Bertam seat in the upcoming state election on Aug 12.