“Voter indebtedness not a factor in Manik Urai”

KUALA KRAI, 8 June 2009: Voter indebtedness to PAS will not be the deciding factor in the Manik Urai state by-election on 14 July, said Kelantan Umno information chief Dali Hussein.

He said although some voters might vote for PAS out of gratitude to its leaders, it would not determine the victory.

“Manik Urai will be a battle of political maturity and not petty issues like public indebtedness,” he told Bernama.

He was asked whether the voters, who are mostly Kelantan Land Development Authority settlers, would vote for PAS as they feel indebted to former party president Datuk Asri Muda, who had opened the scheme.

Dali said Umno would explain to the voters the need to think positively and decide on their future and not merely go after short-term gains.

Meanwhile, Kelantan PAS election director Abdul Fatah chided the Barisan Nasional (BN) for implementing what he termed “instant noodle” projects in the constituency during the campaigning period to fish for votes.

The Bukit Tuku assemblyperson said the federal government might entice voters by carrying out campaign or projects through the South Kelantan Development Authority (Kesedar), an agency under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, but PAS was not worried about the outcome of the election. — Bernama