SHAH ALAM: Pakatan Harapan is emphasising more on engaging Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) voters directly in its campaign leading up to polling on Saturday (May 11).
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said although conventional modes of campaigning, such as ceramah and talks were held, home visits were given greater emphasis.
“We have to be aware that sometimes voters would have made a ‘silent’ decision (on their choice of candidate), and that is why it is important to personalise the campaign and go from house to house.
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“We have to find the voters and reach out to them as much as we can and we are also focusing on social media outreach at the same time," Amirudin told a press conference after attending a PLANMalaysia Selangor event here on Thursday (May 9).
Amirudin added that house-to-house campaigning would be carried out until the end of the campaigning period.
He said the biggest challenge faced by Pakataan currently was concerns about voter turnout on polling day.
“We have to ensure a high turnout but we are worried that bad weather could affect this and therefore, help must be given for voters to come out and vote," added Amirudin.
Amirudin said Pakatan had also reached out to the Orang Asli community in the constituency.
“We have visited almost every orang asli village and locality as we want to get their support as well as strengthen the existing support (for Pakatan)," added the Mentri Besar.
According to Amirudin, data from a survey has indicated that support for Pakatan has increased significantly within all the communities in the constituency.
To a question about the atmosphere at the by-election campaign, Amirudin said if compared with the first by-election he had been involved in which was the Indera Kayangan by-election in 2002, the KKB by-election was ten times "calmer".
“Maybe people now are getting information (about the by-election) through social media as opposed to getting it from ceramah or information centres," he said.
As for the cooperation between Pakatan and Barisan Nasional at the KKB by-election, Amirudin said ties between the two were stronger currently in comparison to during the state election last year.
“We had not had much time, like now, (after the state election) to strengthen ties and I believe Barisan and Pakatan have a better relationship now," he said.
The KKB by-election was called after the demise of incumbent Lee Kee Hiong due to cancer.
