MELAKA – PAS will carry out 70% of its campaigning for the Melaka election through social media, said PAS central election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
Sanusi, who is also Kedah menteri besar, said this was because standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the polls to be issued by the Election Commission (EC) and National Security Council (NSC) will likely not allow for conventional campaigning, such as house-to-house visits, to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“The remaining 30% will comprise conventional campaigning. This may involve some visits, but I’m sure it won’t be as lively as before due to the Covid-19 pandemic, (as we need to) take care of SOPs and we also want to avoid our staff risking themselves or even spreading the disease, so we will be active on social media,” he said while launching the PAS machinery for the state polls virtually last night.
On seats set to be contested by PAS, Sanusi reiterated the statement by PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man on Saturday that negotiations involving Muakafat Nasional (MN) with Umno and Perikatan Nasional (PN), which comprises Bersatu and Gerakan, are still in progress.
“We have a platform that has been established by the leaders… we have PN, MN and now (we) are negotiating so that we have only straight fights in the Melaka polls. We hope these negotiations are successful, and this is what we are working on,” he said.
The EC has set nomination day for the election on November 8, followed by early voting on November 16 and polling day on November 20.
The election is being held following the dissolution of the state assembly on October 4, when four reps withdrew their support for Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali as chief minister. – The Vibes, November 1, 2021
