Hectic last weekend before polls

PETALING JAYA: The final weekend before the elections is here, and the campaign is in full throttle as it is the last chance to reach out to the voters, who are usually busy during the week.

Party leaders have packed their schedules for tomorrow and Sunday, crisscrossing the country to woo the voters.

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Tambun, the town of the Lost World, has suddenly been found by all and sundry.

The little town, known more for its pomelos and cave temples, is the focal point of the national campaign for Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional.

Pakatan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is contesting there. So is the former Perak mentri besar and Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who will be defending the seat he won on a PKR ticket.

Anwar will be using the weekend to meet as many Tambun voters as possible.

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“He will ‘berkampung’ (station himself) there on Sunday and most probably through next week,” said an aide.

Before that, though, Anwar will be in Terengganu and Kelantan to campaign for his coalition’s candidates.

Former prime minister and Perikatan chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will also be in Tambun this weekend to help Ahmad Faizal, more famously known as Peja, in the four-way fight.

He is expected to be there on Sunday night as part of his campaign trail.

Political observers said this weekend is crucial for candidates and parties.

“If a candidate goes to a coffee shop or the market on the weekend, he or she will get to meet more voters than on other days.

“If there are ceramah, the turnout will be higher as people have time to spare.

“They may not vote for you, but it is still good for a candidate to be seen.

“You never know who will change their minds because of the encounter,” said an observer.

Council of Professors member Prof Dr Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod said the weekend will be hectic with the top brass of all parties out in full force.

“Super weekend is always the busiest time of the campaign. Highways and airports will be packed. Don’t be surprised if one party leader bumps into another,” he said.

Umno bigwigs, meanwhile, have chosen to remain in their respective seats this weekend.

Party president and Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be in his constituency Bagan Datuk.

His aide said there is no plan for him to campaign in other areas, although Bagan Datuk is considered Ahmad Zahid’s stronghold. He has been holding the seat since 1995.

In 2018, he won with a 5,073-vote majority, defeating the PAS and PKR candidates.

Ahmad Zahid will be facing PKR vice-president Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin in a four-way fight.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is also staying put in Bera with back-to-back programmes.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, however, will be in Perak and Penang to campaign for candidates from his Islamist party.

Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has already moved around from Sabah to Johor and Selangor to campaign for Gabungan Tanah Air candidates, will be in Alor Setar tomorrow and back in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Sabah’s Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal will be in the peninsula to campaign for the 28 parliamentary seats and 16 state seats up for grabs among the candidates running under the party’s ticket.

Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, the incumbent Muar MP, will be going the other way on Sunday to back the party candidate in Kota Marudu.

Muda has so far announced candidates for four seats – Kota Marudu, Tanjung Piai, Tanjong Karang and Kepala Batas.

Malaysians will cast their votes next Saturday on Nov 19.