Tuesday October 6, 2009
Isa’s fame the reason
Reports by A. LETCHUMANAN, ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN, MAZWIN NIK ANIS and SARBAN SINGH
PARIS: Barisan Nasional’s choice of Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad as the Bagan Pinang candidate showed that the former Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar deserved a second chance, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“Even those convicted by the courts get another chance,” he said, adding that Isa was selected based on his popularity. The Prime Minister made the remarks during a four-day working visit to France.
In Port Dickson, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Barisan Nasional was determined to win the by-election with a greater majority.
Working hard: A couple of Barisan volunteers setting up a poster of Isa at Jalan Pantai in Port Dickson. “We fielded Isa because we need to win this sea,” he said.
Mohamad said Isa was initially reluctant to join in the fray as he had already been in politics for almost three decades.
“However, he agreed when I told him that we need to keep this seat. That is how important he is to us,” he said.
Isa, who was also present, said: “No one promised me anything. I just want to win this by-election and serve the people in Bagan Pinang. I need nothing more.”
He said he was also saddened by Opposition attempt to create a rift between him and Mohamad.
“They are saying that the MB doesn’t like me and was unhappy with my candidacy. How can this be when the MB gave the Teluk Kemang division the absolute right to nominate its candidate?” he asked.
Mohd Isa is the division head.
The Bagan Pinang seat fell vacant following the death of Barisan Nasional’s Azman Mohammad Noor on Sept 4.
He won the seat in the last general election with a 2,333 vote majority against PAS’ Ramli Hassan.
Speaking at a Hari Raya gathering earlier, Mohamad said the Opposition should stop criticising the Election Commission particularly on how postal voting was conducted.
It was odd, he said, that the Opposition did not raise the issue when it won the Teluk Kemang parliamentary seat.
Mohamad said it was also sad that the Opposition was fishing for votes in the estates by giving cheap sarees to the women.
“The Indian votes have always been a Barisan ‘fixed deposit’.”
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