Standing tall: Zulkifli (second from right) posing for the camera with the people in Taman Cempaka.
JOHOR BARU: Despite being a “newbie,” Perikatan Nasional’s Pulai by-election candidate Zulkifli Jaafar doesn’t think he is at a disadvantage.
Instead, he said he has the extra motivation to prove his doubters wrong.
“My opponents have experience contesting in an election, whereas this is my first time. But this does not bother me at all,” he said, referring to Pakatan Harapan’s Suhaizan Kaiat and Independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.
“Voters are not looking at how many times the candidates have contested before. They’ll put their trust in someone who can do the best job for them,” he said when met on the campaign trail at Taman Cempaka here yesterday.
Suhaizan is contesting for the seventh time, while it’s the second time for Samsudin.
Zulkifli, who is a businessman, said that Pulai was viewed as a safe seat for Pakatan, “but in an election, anything can happen.”
He said that Suhaizan, the former Johor state assembly speaker, was a well-known public figure, unlike him.
“But I am a local who has served the people around Pulai through NGO, Muafakat Kempas, of which I am chairman. We have been helping the less unfortunate and needy since 2005. Many people in the area know me well.”
Zulkifli, 50, said since nomination day, he has been going all over Pulai, which is one of the biggest constituencies in Johor, to meet voters.
“So far, my campaign has been running smoothly. These are still early days in the campaign period, so I hope the momentum will continue till polling day,” he said.
In MUAR, Pakatan’s Simpang Jeram by-election candidate Nazri Abdul Rahman, who is also a fresh face, said he has been getting positive feedback from the locals.
There was also the combined support of Umno and the Barisan Nasional election machinery, he said.
He added that he was thankful to Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi and the state Umno for backing him.
Nazri said he would want to continue the “Rahmah” initiative of the late minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.
The by-election came about following the death of Salahuddin, who was Pulai MP and Simpang Jeram assemblyman, last month.
In the Simpang Jeram seat, Nazri will be facing off against Perikatan’s Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya and Independent candidate S. Jeganathan.
More photos
Meeting the people: Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (in black T-shirt) with Suhaizan (in red shirt) and local residents in Taman Perling.
In the National Day mood: Nazri (centre) with Muar Umno chief Datuk Ashari Md Sarip (left) placing a Jalur Gemilang on the taxi belonging to J. Tamil-selvan (right) at Terminal Bentaya.
