Volunteer hanging Perikatan Nasional flags at the Taman Pekatra in Sungai Bakap, Penang. ( June 24, 2024) — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
NIBONG TEBAL: The quiet town of Sungai Bakap here is gripped by political fervour, going by the flags and posters mounted by both Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional.
In the eight district polling stations (PDMs), strategic spots were awash with political party and coalition flags, posters of the two candidates and billboards as both sides ramped up their campaign.
Sungai Bakap PKR election machinery director Noremi Mat Isa said each PDM had received about 1,000 flags, but larger areas with an electorate of over 5,000, such as Puteri Gunung, got more.
Puteri Gunung is the biggest in the Sungai Bakap state constituency, with 14,417 voters, while the PDMs in Sungai Duri and Sungai Bakap have 5,745 and 7,318 voters respectively. The other five PDMs – in Padang Lalang, Tasek Junjong, Ladang Sempah, Sungai Kechil and Kampung Besar – have between 1,500 and 3,700 voters.Noremi said besides Pakatan and unity government flags, other paraphernalia such as flyers and buntings were also distributed to each PDM.
“The flags distributed to the PDMs will be put up by party workers in phases until a few days before polling day,” he added.
Noremi said that party members nationwide and members from component parties in Pakatan and Barisan Nasional have offered their services as volunteers and workers during the campaigning period.
“Some of them came from as far as Pahang and Johor, and were assigned to all the PDMs in the constituency,” he said.
At the Ladang Sempah PDM, members of the PKR machinery from Kuala Lumpur were seen busy at work.
Its contingent chief Ruslan Mahmood said volunteers have so far put up 550 component flags and 500 pieces of bunting and posters of the candidate in the locality.
“We have also distributed the candidate’s flyers during our home-to-home visit and at public premises,” he said.
Perikatan party workers were in equally high spirits as they put up their flags.
Penang PAS youth information department director Mohd Razis Abdul Rahman said under the first phase, some 3,000 Perikatan and PAS flags of various sizes have been installed at all the PDMs. Each PDM, he said, was to be allocated 3,000 flags for this by-election.
Mohd Razis added that party volunteers have been reminded to work diligently and not to provoke the opposing party members while carrying out their duties.
“Our election volunteers were also told to remain calm and not to respond to any provocation while on duty,” he said.
