With just a week remaining in the Melaka state election campaign, the return of a Bukit Katil voter from New Zealand to cast a ballot on Nov 14 has caught the attention of Pakatan Harapan (PH) Melaka chairman Adly Zahari.
Adly said the voter’s return coincided with the festive season, but the decision to travel home and vote was nevertheless greatly appreciated, reflecting the commitment of Malaysians living abroad.
“I appreciate their sacrifice, even though they returned early, possibly because of the festive holidays. I truly appreciate it because, usually, during state elections, it is difficult to see overseas voters returning home to vote, unlike during a national general election,” he told reporters.
Encouraging response from residents
Adly said he and his campaign team had visited nearly 60% of the Bukit Katil constituency, where he is seeking a third term.
He said the response from residents had been encouraging, adding that the people of Melaka, including those in Bukit Katil, were generally friendly.
He also said his campaign had avoided playing on public sentiments to prevent issues that could create tension during the election campaign.
Candidates urged to address residents’ complaints
Adly said that after serving the Bukit Katil constituency for eight years, most residents already knew him, with some using the campaign period to raise local issues.
He said PH had instructed all its candidates to act promptly on residents’ complaints that could be resolved during the campaign, while matters requiring longer-term action should be referred to the relevant authorities.
“Do not wait until Nov 14. Whatever can be resolved should be referred to the agencies and settled. That is part of our responsibility,” he said.
Adly is facing a four-cornered contest against Ridzuan Sarif of Perikatan Nasional (PN), Aliza Che Amran of Bersama and independent candidate Abu Bakar Sabudin.
In the 2021 state election, Adly retained the seat in another four-cornered contest with a majority of 1,057 votes.
