NIBONG TEBAL: Perikatan Nasional's victory in the Sungai Bakap by-election with a larger majority is a sign of protest from the people towards Federal Government policies which oppress the people, says Abidin Ismail.
Abidin, 56, won comfortably after he registered 14,489 votes against his opponent from PKR Dr Joohari Ariffin who gained 10,222 votes.
"First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks. God has given victory to Perikatan, partly due to the support from friends and machinery across Malaysia," he told reporters after the announcement of the by-election winner at Jawi Multipurpose Hall on Saturday (July 6) night.
He said he felt grateful after winning the by-election with a bigger majority of 4,267.
He also extended his heartfelt thanks to the leadership of Perikatan for placing their trust in him as the Opposition coalition candidate.
He said as the new Sungai Bakap assemblyman his focus now was the water shortage issue in the constituency especially at Subdistrict 5.
PAS vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad said the Perikatan machinery came up fighting against the mighty government machinery and not against a political party.
"If it were a party against a party, I think they might lose the deposit.
"This time, we are fighting a party against the entire machinery of the government with all its strength," he said.
