Friendship rises above rivalry amid battle for Sungai Besar

SUNGAI BESAR: The candidates from Barisan Nasional and PAS did not let a mere by-election stand in the way of their friendship.

Crossing paths on polling day, Barisan Nasional’s Budiman Mohd Zohdi and PAS’ Dr Abdul Rani Osman embraced each other outside the Bagan Sungai Besar polling centre.

Referring to Budiman as his “good friend”, Dr Abdul Rani said he was one of those Umno assemblymen with whom he usually spent time during state assemblies.

Budiman then joked that Dr Abdul Rani was always on hand to offer medical assistance

“He’s my doctor, always gives me ‘Panadol’ when I need it,” he said as they burst into laughter. The two are state assemblymen for Sungai Panjang and Meru.

The two friends then posed for photographs with Dr Abdul Rani, who is of smaller stature, asking the reporters: “See who’s taller?”

This prompted Budiman to bend his knees to match his friend’s height, followed by another round of laughter.

Earlier, Budiman had cast his vote at SK Kebangsaan Sungai Limau, arriving at around 8.40am in the company of his father Mohd Zohdi Abdullah, mother Fatona Saimin and wife Norma Aida.

Asked by an Amanah supporter to vote for the party’s candidate Azhar Abdul Shukur, Budiman, looked amused.

“Tell him to come back here more often. No point coming back once a month,” he joked.