Meeting the people: Ahmad Zahid greeting guests at the Pasir Salak Umno division Hari Raya open house held at Dataran Pekan Kampung Gajah. — Bernama
PASIR SALAK: Barisan Nasional must regain the Umno stronghold of Pasir Salak in the next general election, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Umno president and Barisan chairman said it is vital for the parliamentary seat and the two state seats under it – Kampung Gajah and Sungai Manik – to fall back into the hands of Barisan after all three were won by Perikatan Nasional in the 15th General Election (GE15) last November.
“I am hoping that in GE16 or in the event of a state election, we will wrest all three seats back.
“Voters in Pasir Salak must pick only Barisan candidates so that we are able to bring better development (to the area),” he said in his speech at the Pasir Salak Umno division Hari Raya open house held at Dataran Pekan Kampung Gajah, near here, yesterday.
Longtime Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was dropped as a candidate by Umno in GE15 and replaced with Khairul Azwan Harun, who recently became division chief after the party’s polls.
Khairul Azwan, however, lost to Perikatan’s Jamaluddin Yahya.
Then-incumbent Kampung Gajah assemblyman Datuk Dr Wan Norashikin Wan Noordin of Umno also lost to Perikatan’s Zafarulazhan Zan.
Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin won the Sungai Manik seat in GE14 in 2018 under a Barisan ticket, but later joined Bersatu and successfully defended the seat for Perikatan in GE15.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said if the federal and state governments are aligned, then it will be much easier for project applications to be approved.
“It is important to vote in the right representatives to enable development to be continued,” he added.
In his speech, Ahmad Zahid said Pasir Salak should be made the 13th district in Perak, adding that he hopes Khairul Azwan will take the lead in the matter.
Currently, Pasir Salak is a sub-district in the state.
“Negotiate properly with the Mentri Besar [Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad] so that he is able to send an application to the Local Government Development Ministry. I will definitely support it when the proposal is brought to the Cabinet,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is the Bagan Datuk MP, said the 12th district declared in Perak was Bagan Datuk back in 2017.
In his speech, Khairul Azwan requested allocations for several projects here, including to upgrade the historical complex and the Pasir Salak circuit.
Ahmad Zahid said the allocations for several projects including the construction of village roads, a bridge and upgrading of the Mara Junior Science College have been approved.
