logo
Ayer Kuning polls: Ahmad Zahid pleased with BN-PH collaboration

Ayer Kuning polls: Ahmad Zahid pleased with BN-PH collaboration

BAGAN DATUK: Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has expressed satisfaction with the strong collaboration between BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) throughout the 14-day campaign for the Ayer Kuning state by-election.
The Umno president said cooperation during the campaign was well-executed, similar to previous by-elections in Nenggiri, Kelantan and Mahkota in Johor, which resulted in BN victories.
"Insya-Allah, we will succeed in defending the Ayer Kuning seat, and I pray that Ustaz (Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir) will be successful... may Allah bless and grant it.
"However, victory would depend on voter turnout, particularly since many Malay voters had recently returned home for the Hari Raya celebrations, and some Chinese voters had just returned for Qingming Festival," he said.
The deputy prime minister was speaking to reporters after officiating the Risda Madani (KARRISMA) Northern Zone 2025 Carnival at Dewan Dato' Mohamed Jamrah, Sungai Sumun here today.
Present were Rural and Regional Development Ministry secretary-general Datuk Muhd Khair Razman Mohamed Annuar, Risda chairman Manndzri Nasib and Risda director-general Zainal Azni Zulkifli.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, urged the party machinery to ensure a strong turnout.
"I hope the weather remains clear until the evening so the machinery can encourage voters to go to the polls," he added.
A total of 19 polling stations with 63 voting streams opened at 8 am for the by-election, with 31,281 voters eligible to cast their ballots today.
– Bernama

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Negeri move on strays a bad precedent
Negeri move on strays a bad precedent

Daily Express

timean hour ago

  • Daily Express

Negeri move on strays a bad precedent

Published on: Sunday, June 15, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 15, 2025 Text Size: Better solution is to have designated stray zones and sterilisation programmes. IN a span of days, Malaysia bore silent witness to three deeply unsettling episodes – separate in detail but unified in a pattern of human dominance over the voiceless. From the state-sanctioned killing of stray dogs in Negeri Sembilan to a captured monkey drenched in blue paint, and now, to bulldozers flattening green sanctuaries in the heart of Putrajaya – all speak of a society slowly forgetting its moral contract with the creatures that share its space. Advertisement In Negeri Sembilan, all state assembly members have unanimously agreed that stray dogs in predominantly Malay residential areas must be culled to 'address public disturbance and safety concerns'. It is a decision cloaked in administrative justifications, yet stripped of empathy and devoid of public discourse. No attempt was made to explore sterilisation programmes, designated stray zones or community partnerships. The vote was clear: lives that inconvenience shall be erased. This is not governance; it is extermination. These dogs, born into neglect, often rely on human scraps and street kindness to survive. To declare them threats and execute them en masse is not only cruel – it is morally bankrupt. Worse still, it teaches our young that life – when unclaimed or misunderstood – is disposable. As this tragedy unfolded, another one entered our screens. A video surfaced of an elderly man gleefully spraying blue paint onto a monkey trapped in a cage. The paint flooded the animal's eyes and mouth, visibly burning and choking it. The monkey did not resist. It simply cowered, humiliated and helpless. The man laughed. The internet raged. But rage is no substitute for reform. This cruelty, casual and public, is not rare. It is tolerated and tolerance is complicity. What is missing is not enforcement; it is empathy. Not just punishment but prevention. And now, we turn to Putrajaya – our seat of power – where yet another assault on the powerless is quietly underway. Just in front of the ministries, land once rich with green cover has been razed for the construction of a wet market – in the heart of one of the busiest administrative precincts in the nation. Here, civil servants converge, international delegates are hosted at Putrajaya International Convention Centre and the machinery of government turns daily. Yet now, this environment is to be interwoven with the congestion of vendors, delivery trucks and market-goers. And at what cost? The land that was cleared was home to a thriving population of wildlife: long-tailed macaques, dusky leaf monkeys and musang pandan (palm civet). When the clearing began months ago, at least four musang pandan were found dead – struck by vehicles as they fled the destruction of their habitat. Bulldozers did not just remove trees – they erased lives. Once the market is operational, the scent of fresh produce will attract surviving wildlife back to their old territory. They will forage through trash, be seen as pests and inevitably be culled following complaints from the very establishments that displaced them. Who approved the idea of placing a wet market in the middle of Putrajaya's core governmental hub? Did no one pause to consider the optics, the congestion or the ecological consequences? Did no one ask whether the 'development' of one corner may signal the destruction of an entire ecosystem? All of these incidents – culling dogs, torturing monkeys and bulldozing habitats – reflect a singular truth: when human convenience collides with animal survival, we have made it clear who must retreat or perish. But that truth is not unchangeable. We must demand more from our leaders, our neighbours and ourselves. We need urban planning that respects ecological integrity. We need legislation that enforces protection, not just punishment. We need a cultural shift that elevates compassion over conquest. We cannot bring back the dead civets. We cannot unpaint the monkey's face. We cannot revive the strays. But we can choose to no longer look away. Let us remember this not as an aberration but as a turning point – when Malaysians finally say: enough. Suzianah Nhazzla Ismail The views expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Express. If you have something to share, write to us at: [email protected]

PH-GRS discussions soon
PH-GRS discussions soon

Daily Express

time4 hours ago

  • Daily Express

PH-GRS discussions soon

Published on: Sunday, June 15, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 15, 2025 By: Diana Liu Text Size: Sabah Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Chief Mustapha Sakmud Kota Kinabalu: Pakatan Harapan (PH) will soon begin discussions with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) on potential political cooperation for the coming 17th State Election (PRN17), said Sabah Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Chief Mustapha Sakmud. He said preliminary talks between PH and Barisan Nasional (BN) have already begun. Advertisement Mustapha said the discussions with both GRS and BN are in line with the directive from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also PH Chairman and PKR President. 'What we have received from our party President is that we are to negotiate with BN and GRS. As for other parties, we are leaving it to them to hold their own discussions. 'Negotiations among PH component parties in Sabah are also ongoing to finalise seat allocations before moving on to discussions with BN and GRS. After this, we will begin discussions with GRS at the PH level,' he said after officiating the Sabah's Higher Education Institutions Sports Championship (SUIPTS) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Arena, Saturday. GRS has previously stated that its political cooperation will focus on working with parties that are part of the current State Government, namely GRS and PH. * 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

Grassroots prefer direct contest
Grassroots prefer direct contest

Daily Express

time4 hours ago

  • Daily Express

Grassroots prefer direct contest

Published on: Sunday, June 15, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 15, 2025 By: Nora Ahmad Text Size: 'I agree with Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (Sabah BN Chairman) (right) that GRS and BN should face off in the coming state election. By leaving it to the people, whoever wins will no longer face accusations that Party A won because of Party B's strength, and there will be no more allegations of betrayal,' said Armizan. KOTA BELUD: A direct contest between Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming 17th State Election would be the best approach to give voters complete authority in determining the mandate, said GRS Deputy Secretary-General Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali. He said such a contest would eliminate any accusations that victory depends solely on the strength of particular parties within coalitions. Advertisement 'I agree with Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin (Sabah BN Chairman) that GRS and BN should face off in the coming state election. By leaving it to the people, whoever wins will no longer face accusations that Party A won because of Party B's strength, and there will be no more allegations of betrayal,' Armizan told reporters. He said this after officiating the Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (Gagasan Rakyat) Tempasuk Division Annual General Meeting at the Dewan Al Arsad in Kampung Kaguraan on Saturday, when asked about Bung's statement that BN-GRS cooperation would only be considered after the state election. The Papar MP said Bung's stance should be respected without undermining his position as Sabah Umno Chief. 'Everyone should fulfil Bung's wishes and no one at any level should go against his position as the autonomous Sabah Umno Liaison Chief,' he said. However, Armizan clarified that his views were personal and did not officially represent GRS. He noted that the current State Government functions well through existing cooperation arrangements, but grassroots GRS leaders and supporters prefer to contest against BN. Regarding current GRS policy, Armizan said the coalition remains open to continuing cooperation with core parties forming the state government - GRS and Pakatan Harapan (PH). He praised PH's prioritisation of stability by rejecting attempts to topple the State Government and supporting Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor's continued leadership as Chief Minister. Armizan said the Federal Unity Government cooperation should not be seen as an obstacle to State-level contests, noting that the Federal memorandum of understanding does not mandate extending cooperation to state level and inter-party contests within the Federal Government have occurred before in Sabah, Melaka and Johor. 'The question of cooperation should not become a prolonged polemic. The people need to be given the widest space to evaluate and make their choice,' he said. * 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

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store