Mohamad vows to give his all in Rantau by-election

Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. -filepic

KUALA LUMPUR: Rantau incumbent Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan says he is all geared up to face the might of the Pakatan Harapan government machinery in the upcoming by-election.

“I expect them to bring in the whole machinery, not so much to win the Rantau by-election but more so because I am not only the candidate but also heading Umno,” said the former Negri Sembilan mentri besar, who was elected the Umno deputy president after the 14th General Election and has taken over the duties of the president.

“I have to work harder and be more careful in this by-election. I will not run away, that is my kampung. The government will use all its strength. It is not fair of me to say they will play dirty.

“I hope it (the contest) will be mature politics and leave out things that are forbidden (during campaigning),” Mohamad told the media after the Umno-PAS meeting here yesterday.

The political stalwart previously won Rantau in the 2004, 2008 and 2013 general elections.

In 2018, Mohamad retained the seat uncontested after his Pakatan opponent, Dr S. Streram of PKR, was prohibited from entering the nomination centre to submit his papers because he did not have a pass issued by the Election Com­mission (EC).

The by-election was necessitated after the Federal Court dismissed an appeal filed by Mohamad to set aside the Nov 16 Seremban Election Court decision declaring his victory in GE14 as null and void.

Mohamad said PAS would help him campaign in Rantau, but he did not expect much from the fellow opposition party as Rantau is “an Umno heartland”.

“It is also a strong PKR area as all this while, it has been contested by PKR,” he added.

EC is expected to announce the nomination and polling dates for the Rantau by-election today.