BN Candidate's Win In Ayer Kuning By-election No Surprise
KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) -- The victory of Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir in the Ayer Kuning state by-election yesterday was expected and not surprising, said a political analyst.
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) Prof Dr Mohd Izani Mohd Zain said BN's victory gave a clear picture of the current political situation in the state, which shows good cooperation between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and BN.
"This result is what we expected because Ayer Kuning is a traditional UMNO stronghold. We expected them to win… BN had the advantage and could win comfortably because of the votes of PH supporters.
"We see the political landscape in Perak as a very unique situation because the political collaboration between BN and PH is extremely good and this was reflected in the Ayer Kuning by-election. We also saw a very mature political election because there were no hot issues, instead only local issues have coloured the polemics and election campaign,' he said.
He said this as a guest on Bernama TV's Ruang Bicara programme titled "Analisis Keputusan PRK Ayer Kuning' (Analysis of Ayer Kuning By-Election Result) last night.
BN retained the Ayer Kuning seat when its candidate, Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir secured victory in the three-cornered fight with a 5,006-vote majority.
The Tapah UMNO Division secretary, also known as Ustaz Yusri, garnered 11,065 votes to defeat Abd Muhaimin Malek of Perikatan Nasional (PN), who scored 6,059 votes and Bawani KS of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), who obtained only 1,106 votes.
Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Political Science senior lecturer Mujibu Abd Muis said there is a need for all parties to view the consistently low voter turnout in the past few by-elections as a serious issue.
"Whatever happens in the context of a by-election, we must find a way to get voters to be more excited about them (by-elections) and view it as their civic duty (to go out and vote),' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Shahelmey will contest under GRS, says Hajiji
Hajiji speaking to reporters after the Anak Muda N22/N23/N24 2025 programme. KOTA KINABALU (Aug 17): It is now essentially confirmed that Datuk Ir Shahelmey Yahya will contest under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) banner in the upcoming state elections. GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, in his speech at the Anak Muda N22/N23/N24 2025 programme in Putatan on Sunday, voiced the coalition's aim to capture all three state seats in the Putatan parliamentary constituency — Tanjung Keramat, Petagas and Tanjung Aru. Responding later to a reporter's question on Shahelmey's 'difficult' political situation — reportedly suspended from Umno for six years and facing the risk of triggering the Anti-Hop Law if he were to defend his Tanjung Keramat seat — Hajiji brushed it off. 'What's so difficult about it? He is both an assemblyman and Member of Parliament. Tatap menang punya (win for sure),' Hajiji said cheerfully. When asked whether Shahelmey would contest under the Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket, Hajiji, who is also Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) president, replied: ''Dia ikut' (he will follow) 'siurang' (us in Sabahan slang).' Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin maintains Shahelmey remains part of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) and has repeatedly stated Umno will not renominate him. Meanwhile, Hajiji emphasised the state government's continued commitment to safeguarding the interests of youths in Sabah, noting that youth development is one of the pillars of the Sabah Maju Jaya agenda. 'Youths are not merely beneficiaries, but also agents of change. In a world full of challenges, young people must be leaders of community harmony, guardians of cultural heritage, and supporters of technological progress,' he said. Hajiji said that between 2021 and 2025, a total of 14 new youth-focused initiatives have been introduced with allocations of RM164.14 million, benefitting over 210,000 students. He added that the government has also implemented youth grants, skills training, innovation and entrepreneurship programmes to provide young people with platforms to grow. At the event, Hajiji presented the Young People Programme grant worth RM300,000 to youth NGOs in Tanjung Aru, Petagas and Tanjung Keramat.
Borneo Post
3 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Mustapha rebuked for calling GRS a liability to PH
Jasnih KOTA KINABALU (Aug 17): Pantai Dalit Assemblyman Datuk Jasnih Daya has criticised Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah chairman Datuk Mustapha Sakmud for describing Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) as a liability to Pakatan Harapan (PH). Jasnih, who is also Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Pantai Dalit Division chief, said Mustapha's statement was baseless and potentially damaging to the unity of government coalition partners. 'I am not sure what the basis, motive or objective is for him to label GRS as a liability to PH,' he said in a Facebook post on Sunday. He noted that he has many friends in PKR and PH, but such remarks are rare. He urged Mustapha to be more cautious when making public statements, stressing that reckless comments could backfire. 'Do not get carried away when giving statements, especially those that only highlight weaknesses and damage yourself. Most importantly, do not be a spoiler,' Jasnih said. He also warned that excessive confidence could lead to arrogance, which would undermine a leader's credibility. 'Overconfidence leads to arrogance… and remember, no one is irreplaceable,' he said. Jasnih further advised that differing views should be resolved internally through party channels and leadership structures, instead of being aired publicly in a way that fuels unnecessary polemics. 'If that is what you truly feel, discuss it properly with your leader. InshaAllah, if it is for the best… then we just carry it out,' he said. He reiterated that political stability in Sabah must remain a top priority, as it is closely tied to development initiatives and the wellbeing of the people under the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) policy. Meanwhile, PKR Papar division's women's movement has called for a more mature and responsible political culture, urging leaders to prioritise the people's welfare over rhetoric. Its chief, Shakila Ismail, was responding to remarks by Gagasan Rakyat Youth Kawang Division against Mustapha. Shakila stressed that Mustapha's views should be regarded as part of a healthy and responsible political discourse, not as a political attack. 'Datuk Mustapha's perspective is part of a healthy political dialogue. It should not be seen as an attack, but as a reminder that political cooperation in Sabah must truly benefit the people, especially women, children, and rural communities,' she said. She also cautioned against politicising the recent tragedy involving the late Zara Qairina Mahathir, a 13-year-old student from Papar. 'As leaders, the tragedy of the late Zara Qairina should never be used as a political tool. Instead, all Malaysians and the authorities must unite to uphold justice and implement institutional reforms to prevent such cases from happening again,' she said. According to her, political leaders must show exemplary conduct by engaging in respectful, solution-focused politics rather than finger-pointing. 'We must lead by example, practising politics with wisdom and maturity, focusing on solutions and not rhetoric or blame. The people will judge leaders based on their actions, honesty, and sincerity in defending them,' she said. In her statement, Shakila also outlined three key calls from the movement: prioritising welfare and safety with no compromise in protecting students, women and children; strengthening political cooperation to ensure stability and development in Sabah while safeguarding state rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63); and amplifying Sabah's voice at the national level through the Unity Government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. 'PKR Sabah women's movement remains principled yet firm. Politics must continue to serve as a platform to defend the people, not as a battleground that undermines public confidence,' she emphasised.
Daily Express
3 hours ago
- Daily Express
BN to focus on rural seats, PH on urban areas in Sabah polls
Published on: Sunday, August 17, 2025 Published on: Sun, Aug 17, 2025 Text Size: PONTIAN: Barisan Nasional (BN) is expected to concentrate on rural seats while Pakatan Harapan (PH) takes on urban constituencies in Sabah under a seat-sharing deal concluded for the upcoming state election, the New Straits Times reported on Sunday. Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan ( pic ) said the arrangement highlighted the strength of the BN-PH alliance and reflected a clear strategy ahead of the polls. He said the number of seats allocated to BN would be announced by party leaders, but confirmed that PH would contest in urban areas through either DAP or PKR while BN would focus on rural constituencies. The Pontian MP, who also heads Umno's central war room secretariat, added that preparations this time were more structured compared with the 2020 Sabah polls. Ahmad said he had already visited 20 party divisions in Sabah, with five more pending inspection as part of the early groundwork. On Saturday, BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that the deal with PH was finalised without overlaps and stressed that no negotiations were held with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) out of respect for PH. The 16th Sabah assembly will dissolve automatically on Nov 11 unless dissolved earlier, paving the way for the state's 17th election, with Ahmad expressing confidence that the alliance's preparations and combined leadership would yield better results. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
