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“With the momentum that has been built, we anticipate we can deliver another victory for Barisan Nasional and the unity government,” government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said.
He said the close cooperation among parties in the unity government will continue in the Sept 28 Mahkota by-election, Bernama reported.
Fahmi said the victory yesterday was proof that the efforts and initiatives of the unity government to boost the national economy and ensure the well-being of citizens were beginning to be accepted by the people.
It also showed that the people, particularly in Nenggiri, rejected divisive politics based on slander intended to tear apart the community, he told reporters after distributing Jalur Gemilang in conjunction with Merdeka at the Kerinchi PPR morning market in Kuala Lumpur today.
Fahmi, who is also the communications minister, said the Nenggiri by-election set a record with an exceptionally high voter turnout compared to several previous by-elections.
“Almost all polling centres saw BN winning convincingly.
“This also serves as a referendum on the Kelantan government and the PAS leadership,” he said, adding that the political methods they and Bersatu employed in Gua Musang had failed.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in a Facebook posting, said the victory of the BN candidate proved the people of Kelantan now accepted the partnership formed under the unity government.
He described the win as a reflection of the public’s increasing alignment with the wave of change under the Madani government and the recent signs of growing economic progress.
“This victory will serve as a morale boost for the government to continue safeguarding people’s welfare and elevating the nation’s prosperity to new heights.”
Yesterday, BN candidate Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani won the by-election with a majority of 3,352 votes.
The Kelantan Umno Youth chief secured 9,091 votes, defeating PAS candidate Rizwadi Ismail from Perikatan Nasional, who garnered 5,739 votes.
Azmawi today pledged to serve as a representative for all residents of the Nenggiri state constituency, regardless of race or political differences.
He expressed surprise at winning with such a large majority, given that in last year’s Kelantan state election, BN lost by a margin of 810 votes.
Azmawi said his main focus, as an elected representative, would include addressing issues related to land and housing for the second generation of settlers.
He said the process of title ownership for Kesedar and Felda settlers required the assistance of the state government.
Azmawi said BN’s success could be attributed to how they connected with the voters.
“We didn’t make empty promises but focused on maintaining engagement with the voters. I made an effort to meet as many voters as possible, both in person and via social media.”
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