IPOH: Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad has advised Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders to accept the reality that they were defeated in the Ayer Kuning by-election yesterday.
“I want to advise my friends in PN to accept the fact that they lost, and Barisan Nasional won.
“I also want to respond to the ‘talkin’ (final prayer) that Ustaz Idris (Pas vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad) read. Ustaz Idris, listen… Accept that BN won with a majority of 11,096 votes. That’s the truth.
“Accept the fact that their votes decreased compared to the 15th General Election. That’s the truth.
“Accept the fact that the people of Ayer Kuning rejected them. That’s the truth,” he said after attending a Hari Raya celebration with state government-linked companies at Stadium Indera Mulia here today.
During the PN Ayer Kuning grand finale ceramah, Idris’s speech drew attention when he delivered a message resembling a ‘talkin’ recital.
Addressing PN election director, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, who had questioned BN‘s failure to meet its 18,000-vote target, Saarani explained that the target was based on a projected 75 per cent voter turnout, yet only 58 per cent of eligible voters participated.
“When I set the 18,000-vote target, it was based on a forecasted 75 per cent voter turnout.
“Since only 58 per cent of voters came to the polls, we could not reach that target. Only 18,500 people voted.
“BN has increased its majority compared to the last general election. And PN should remember that their votes also decreased, from 6,812 votes down to 6,059 votes,” he said.
The by-election results saw Yusri from BN winning with a majority of 5,006 votes, defeating Perikatan Nasional candidate Abdul Muhaimin Malek and K.S Bawani from the Parti Sosialis Malaysia.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
