REMBAU: With six days to go until polling day, Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Rantau by-election candidate Dr S. Streram said he hopes Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will stump for him and support the pact's election campaign.
"As a candidate, I always welcome anyone to come here. I hope Dr Mahathir comes (to Rantau) to show his support," he said after a walkabout at Pekan Mambau in Rantau here, today.
He was responding to a question on whether there is a need for Dr Mahathir to participate in PH's election campaign.
"From what I read in the papers, Dr Mahathir fully supports me, but I hope he comes here personally," added Dr Streram.
In the recent Semenyih, Cameron Highlands and Port Dickson by-elections, Dr Mahathir, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chairman, attended several ceramah and stumped for PH's candidates there.
With the exception of Bersatu, various prominent leaders from DAP, Amanah and PKR have hit the campaign trail in Rantau.
Negri Sembilan Bersatu chairman Tan Sri Rais Yatim, however, attended PKR's 20th anniversary celebrations at Dataran Rantau here, last week.
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is one of the most active PH leaders in the campaign so far, having held meet-the-people events and political ceramah on an almost-daily basis.
"I was made to understand that Anwar met with Dr Mahathir to (discuss) whether he should come here or not. But I cannot comment further," said Dr Streram.
He also said the arrival of various high-profile PH leaders has helped boost his campaign.
"They have helped me in some ways. They helped address several issues like the (poorly equipped) health clinic, the (unfinished PR1MA) housing project," he said.
During a visit to Rantau on Sunday, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin assured constituents that the unfinished 1Malaysia People’s Housing Scheme (PR1MA) project here will be completed by May 2020, after a 16-month delay.
The Rantau by-election sees a four-cornered fight between Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan from Barisan Nasional, Dr Streram, and two independent candidates – R. Malarvizhi and Mohd Nor Yassin.
The by-election was called after the Federal Court dismissed an appeal filed by Mohamad to set aside an Election Court decision to declare his victory in the 14th general election (GE14) null and void.
Mohamad had won the seat uncontested in May 2018 after Dr Streram was unable to submit his nomination papers after being denied entry into the nomination centre for not having a pass issued by the EC.
The seat has 20,926 registered voters, including 118 early voters and four absentee voters.
Polling day for the by-election has been set for April 13, with early voting being held tomorrow.