'Don't let what happened in Selangor polls repeat due to overconfidence' - Amirudin

JOHOR BAHRU - Selangor Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shaari, has reminded Pakatan Harapan (PH) voters in Pulai Parliament to learn from what happened in Selangor when it lost its two-thirds majority due to low turnout.

The vice president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) claimed that voters in Selangor did not vote because they were too confident that PH would win a two-thirds majority in the state election on August 12.

"In the last state election, Selangor recorded a voter turnout of about 71 per cent while the Chinese community voters who carried out that responsibility were only 61 per cent.

"This figure caused the combination of PH and BN to lose four seats with a slim majority and then not get two-thirds after winning 34 of the 56 State Legislative Assembly seats contested," he said at the Pulai Unity Talk in Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru, on Saturday night.

Amirudin said that the areas that lost with a slim majority of less than 1,000 votes involved the State Legislative Assembly seat of Dengkil, which lost with 400 votes; Taman Medan (30 votes); Gombak Setia (58 votes); and Sungai Kandis (167 votes).

"I know many people say there is a great chance to win in Pulai, but I also hope we are not comfortable. If we look at it like that, it will be like what happened in Selangor," he said.

He said that because many people believed that Selangor would win the state election, the voters were so confident that they did not go out to vote.

"You have to remember that every vote is meaningful and valuable. If the voter turnout goes up by another 0.5 per cent, we can win these four seats and confirm a two-thirds majority in the State Legislative Assembly. It's okay; that's done now.

"Therefore, voters in the Pulai Parliament and the Simpang Jeram State Assembly remind my friends that this is for the country and our future; the recovery of the country is being done, and I guarantee that the unity government will remain until the end of the term," he said.

Amirudin said that in Selangor, more than 60 per cent of the people support the unity government and block the wave that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) has created, and that matter needs to be continued in the Pulai Parliament.

He said the victory of the Pulai parliamentary seat contested by the PH candidate, Suhaizan Kaiat, will guarantee a two-thirds victory in Parliament, thus helping the government, which is being restored to the path of economic success.

Therefore, he explained, the voters need to reject the PN's political slogans, which only continue the instability in the country and continue to play politics that divides the multi-racial society.

"PN wants to make Pulai a new site to create a new wave. I ask the people of Pulai to stop this crazy work by continuing to support PH in this by-election," he said.

He added that the PN's way of doing politics was alleged to be extreme by inflaming racial spirit among the people in addition to playing on elements of slander and fraud.

"Voters need to keep this seat; this two-thirds majority allows the government to be more balanced, support the unity government, and keep Pulai as a sign of respect for the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, who served a lot," he said.