Published: Saturday October 3, 2009 MYT 3:55:00 PM
Isa glad to be coming ‘home’
By SARBAN SINGH and C. S. NATHAN
PORT DICKSON: Barisan Nasional candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election and former six term assemblyman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad is glad that he is finally coming "home".
Home in this instance means the kampung in Bagan Pinang where he grew up and where he knew the village folks and their families by their first names.
"I am glad to be coming home. I never had the good fortune of serving my kampung folks as I had all along been Linggi assemblyman," he told reporters after the nomination process ended at the Port Dickson Municipal Council hall here.
Isa also expressed confidence that he would be able to defend the seat for Barisan despite not being actively involved in politics since his three-year suspension from Umno.
He said his biggest advantage was that almost everyone in Bagan Pinang knew him.
"I would like to remind the Opposition that I am not a recycled politician. I was away for a short while and not like certain leaders in the Opposition who were in jail for years and yet came back and contested," he said to loud cheers from his supporters.
Asked how he sized up his opponent Zulkefly Mohammad Omar, Mohd Isa claimed he hardly knew him.
"But I am sure he knows who I am," he said again to loud cheers.
Mohd Isa also rubbished talk that the state Umno was divided over him being made the candidate.
He said if the party was divided, he would not have agreed to be a candidate.
MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat who was also present said although the Chinese made up less than 11% of the voters, the party would go all out to woo them.
"Every vote is important...in my discussion with the MB (Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan) just now, he told me that the support for Barisan is gaining ground here.
"Whatever it is, I have told all MCA members here that we need to work very hard. It is pointless to say we are confident and take things easy," he said.
MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu said the party would also work doubly hard to secure the Indian votes that make up 20.7% of the voters.
"We are also focusing on the three areas we lost the last time," he said adding that all three were estates.
Describing Mohd Isa as a "first class" candidate, Samy Vellu said he would personally attend the ceramah organised by the MIC to woo the Indian community.
"I will be here daily from 3pm to 11pm. We want to make sure the majority of the Indian votes go back to Barisan this time," he said.
Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon was also upbeat about Barisan retaining the seat.
"It is not going to be easy but we have a charismatic leader in Tan Sri Mohd Isa. We will be able to retain the seat if all of us in Barisan continue with our hard work and remained focus on the job ahead," he said.
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