JOHOR BARU – Newly elected Simpang Jeram assemblyman Nazri Abdul Rahman said his electoral victory is proof that people have accepted the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) partnership.
“It is a team victory and puts to rest all rumours that the people rejected PH-BN.
“The first thing I want to do is go to the ground and thank the voters,” he said.
Nazri, who is also Bakri Amanah division deputy chief, polled 13,484 votes, defeating Perikatan Nasional’s Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya who got 10,330 votes and independent candidate S. Jegananthan who secured 311 votes.
Over in Pulai, it was seventh time lucky for Suhaizan Kaiat, who won with 48,283 votes, while Zulkifli Jaafar of PN had 29,642 votes. Independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi had 528 votes.
The former Johor state speaker has contested two parliamentary seats, Simpang Renggam (2013) and Parit Sulong (2004) when he was with PAS; state seats Kempas (2008 and 2013), also under the PAS banner, Kukup (2018), and Pulai Sebatang (2002) as a candidate for Amanah.
“I am truly grateful to all the voters for their trust in me and will do my best for them,” he said, adding that he too wants to go to the ground and thank as many voters as possible.
The two by-elections were held following the death of Amanah deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub on July 23.
Salahuddin had won Pulai with a majority of 33,174 votes and Simpang Jeram with a 2,399-vote majority. – The Vibes, September 9, 2023