‘Rally for polls the Johor way’

Smooth sailing: Onn Hafiz (second from right) posing with other Barisan Nasional leaders, namely Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (centre), Datuk Seri Johari Ghani (second from left), Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (third from left) and Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (right), as well as DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke (left), alongside Syed Hussien (third from right) during nomination in Kluang. — THOMAS YONG/The Star

KLUANG: Parties contesting the Mahkota by-election should campaign “the Johor way”: not touching on 3R (religion, royalty and race) issues, says Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

“There have been by-elections in Johor prior to Mahkota, in Simpang Jeram and Pulai, and there was harmony in them.

“Sensitive matters such as race and religion were not touched on in those two by-elections and I am urging for this to continue in the Mahkota by-election,” he said at the nomination centre for the Mahkota by-election at Dewan Tunku Ibrahim Ismail here yesterday.

Onn Hafiz said he was reminded of the words of his late grandfather and the country’s third prime minister, Tun Hussein Onn, who always stressed the importance of unity.

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“He always said the unity that we have now should not be taken for granted.

“It takes decades to build unity among the people, but it only takes a day for it to be broken,” Onn Hafiz added.

Onn Hafiz, who is also Barisan Nasional election director for the Mahkota by-election, said the state government will talk about its development plans during the campaign.

Solid support: Muhyiddin (fourth from left) joining hands with Mohamad Haizan (centre) at the nomination centre at Dewan Tunku Ibrahim Ismail, Kluang. Also present were Sahruddin (right), Mohamed Azmin (second from right), Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu (third from left) and Johor PAS commissioner Abdullah Husin (second from left).

“We will highlight what we have done and plan to do for Johor, Kluang and Mahkota.

“Among them is the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone and the Special Financial Zone.

“I admit that my government is not perfect. But we are trying our best,” he added.

Meanwhile, Johor police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar said the nomination process for the Mahkota by-election was smooth with no untoward incidents.

He said 772 officers and personnel will be stationed throughout the constituency during the campaign period.

Comm Kumar added that 38 personnel would be specifically tasked to deal with any flash floods that may occur in Mahkota.

“We have prepared a contingency plan for this matter, where our lorries are on standby at Kluang police district headquarters with the 38 personnel,” he said.