ARAU – Perlis is ground zero for a political civil war as caretaker menteri besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man of Barisan Nasional (BN) and predecessor Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim are embroiled in a verbal spar.
Azlan, who is defending the Bintong state seat, has labelled Shahidan a traitor for defending the Arau parliamentary seat under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) ticket after being dropped as a BN candidate.
Azlan also vowed in a press conference today that the coalition will work to ensure Shahidan loses as he has been ungrateful to BN, which had put him in power for more than four decades.
The Bintong state seat is part of the Kangar parliamentary constituency. Azlan will have to fend off challenges from PN’s Fakhrul Anwar Ismail, PH’s Azhari Ahmad, Warisan’s Mohamad Khair Mohd Noor, Pejuang’s Shazwan Suban and independent candidate Hashim Suboh (formerly BN).
Former Umno/BN warlord Shahidan did not take the mocking lying down, telling reporters here that he will work with the PN election machinery to bring down Azlan in Bintong.
“I think Azlan, who claims to be a Mr Know-It-All, is sadly mistaken about this election and the strength of BN, which is now faltering due to infighting.”
Shahidan also promised to help PAS and PN to govern the state if the coalition wins in the state election that is held concurrently with the national polls.
He added that he will campaign with PAS to ensure Azlan’s defeat and that BN will only recover if chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi makes way.
Otherwise, it would be difficult for BN to win in Perlis, said Shahidan.
Nationwide, he claimed, PN is leading the race to win followed by Pakatan Harapan (PH), while BN continues to lose momentum due to infighting.
Meanwhile, the four independent candidates, formerly BN, have urged the voters to support them.
Datuk Seri Zahidi Zainul Abidin is contesting the Titi Tinggi state seat and defending the Padang Besar parliamentary constituency.
Datuk Azhar Ahmad is contesting the Kuala Perlis state seat while former Perlis Umno Youth head Ammar Hassan is contesting the Simpang Empat state seat.
Zahidi also blamed Zahid for the political clash in Perlis, which was triggered by the latter’s reluctance to pacify grassroots demands and to allow candidates with the best winning chance to contest. – The Vibes, November 10, 2022
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