LIPIS: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has dismissed claims that Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not confident that their candidate M Manogaran can win the Cameron Highlands parliamentary by-election on Saturday.
Muhyiddin said Dr Mahathir took a serious view of the by-election and would turn up tomorrow to campaign for PH.
“The Prime Minister usually does not take part in small campaigns like this but he clearly feels this by-election is important. Since we are contesting here, surely the community and the voters here want to hear the message from Tun as the Prime Minister.
“So for me, the assumption (that Dr Mahathir has no confidence in Manogaran) is not correct,” he told reporters after performing the Maghrib and Isyak prayers at the Sungai Koyan Mosque here today.
He said this when asked about claims that Dr Mahathir is not confident of a victory for Manogaran since he (the Prime Minister) did not spend much time campaigning in Cameron Highlands.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to be there only from 11 am to 2 pm today to meet the people of Sungai Koyan at Dataran Sungai Koyan 1 before ending his trip by performing Friday prayers at the Al-Muhajirin Mosque.
Asked about claims by Pahang PKR chairman Fuziah Salleh that Tok Batin (Orang Asli chiefs) in the Orang Asli villages had been ‘kidnapped’ by certain parties, thus making it difficult for PH to campaign in their settlements, Muhyiddin said no investigation had been initiated since there had been no police reports lodged.
“During campaigning, all kinds of things can happen. But if there is no proof and no basis or even reports lodged with the authorities, be it the police or whoever, no investigation can take place. So, we do not know the actual situation,” said Muhyiddin, who is also the Home Minister. — Bernama
