Slow and steady wins it? Indie candidate Faridah finally gets going

PONTIAN: It has been nearly a week into the Tanjung Piai by-election campaigning period but independent candidate Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghafar is only just firing up her campaign.

The 43-year-old said while the lack of funds and machinery posed a problem, she remained optimistic.

"I think it is a blessing as I'll be more focused in the last week of campaigning period before polling day on Nov 16," she said in a press conference here on Friday (Nov 8).

Faridah, who is a single mother of four children, said her candidacy as an independent was to focus attention on the B40 (lower income) group, which represents about 70% of voters within the Tanjung Piai parliamentary constituency.

She said she wanted to create opportunities for those within this group, including fishermen, traders and farmers, to increase their income.

"I don't have any manifesto in this by-election as I am running as an independent without funds from anyone to support me in my campaign.

"However, I do have the support from several non-governmental organisations and we have conducted programmes but on a limited and ad-hoc basis," she added.

Faridah said she wanted to avoid losing the RM10,000 deposit for her candidacy.

"I'm confident that I'll be able to cover all grounds in the constituency area, even though I have limited time," she said, adding that she would be using the car symbol in the by-election.

Besides Faridah, the other independent candidate is Dr Ang Chuan Lock, who is using the key symbol.

They are in a six-cornered fight with Pakatan Harapan's Karmaine Sardini, Barisan Nasional's Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng, Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam and Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia’s (Berjasa) Datuk Dr Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz.