KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) is optimistic about winning back the Kemaman parliamentary seat in the upcoming by-election, saying that it is not Pas' stronghold.
BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said despite lagging behind over 27,000 votes to win the seat in the previous General Election, BN had only lost due to political games.
"Kemaman is not Pas' stronghold, but Umno's.
"However, due to being hurled with issues, slander, and hatred towards Umno as well as the use of huge financial resources at that time, we lost about 27,000 votes.
"Therefore this time, we will place a candidate with a reputable background who has contributed a lot to the country outside of politics," he said.
He said this before announcing former Chief of Defence Forces General (R) Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor as the direct candidate to contest the upcoming Kemaman by-election.
Zahid said BN's machinery has been fully prepared to assist Raja Affandi during campaigning weeks before polling day slated on Dec 2.
"We are confident that based on the feedback conducted, voters will give their support to Raja Affandi.
"This is not the first time we have placed a direct candidate (someone outside Umno's hierarchy) such as in Cameron Highland where we placed Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor.
"Raja Affandi was raised in Kemaman. So this is the right time to nominate someone who is highly approved by Umno to contest a seat that is not a Pas stronghold," he said.
The Election Commission (EC) has fixed Dec 2 as polling day for the Kemaman parliamentary seat by-election in Terengganu.
The commission also set Nov 18 as nomination day and Nov 28 for early voting.