Final lap to the finish line

Candidates rush to cover ground in last leg of campaign period

PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and PAS are wrapping up their campaigns as the closest electoral fight in Malaysia’s history enters the last lap.

With 48 hours left to polling day on Wednesday, candidates will be covering as much ground as possible in their final dash to the finish line.

The 11day campaign period, which started on April 28, ends tomorrow at 11.45pm.

Candidates, especially from the three major parties, are scrambling to canvass for every vote possible, including in “grey” seats and states where the fights are the toughest.

Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak arrived in Sabah last night and will spend the day there today.

Sabah is a traditional Barisan stronghold, but Parti Warisan Sabah led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal is putting up a fierce challenge to break Barisan’s dominance.

Najib’s trip to Sabah follows a visit to his home state of Pahang yesterday, where he met voters, including those from the Gugusan Chini Felda schemes.

Pahang is home to a big chunk of the total 1.2 million Felda voters nationwide, a Barisan vote bank that Pakatan is trying to capture.

Speaking in his parliamentary seat of Pekan, Pahang, on Saturday night, Najib said the coalition was capable of winning the general election by a wide margin.

He said his confidence was based on his visits around the nation and briefings by Umno leaders at each location since campaigning began.

He cited his visit to Sungai Siput, Perak, on Saturday, where the event venue overflowed with Barisan supporters.

“God willing, if this happens we can win big, provided we can defend the seats that are already in our hands,” said Najib.

Barisan deputy chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was a critical period for Barisan’s election machinery.

“This is a crucial time for us and we need to double or even triple our efforts to get voters on our side,” he told a media conference in Bagan Datuk yesterday.

Dr Ahmad Zahid also warned of more attempts by the Opposition to resort to dirty tactics.

“We suspect that they are up to something. They will attack Barisan with more lies and slander,” he said, calling on the police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to be alert.

Tomorrow night, the major parties will hold their last ceramah before the campaign deadline.

Pakatan chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to speak at a rally in Kuah, Langkawi, at 10pm and his speech will be broadcast to all the grouping’s ceramah venues nationwide.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang is expected to join party supporters in Terengganu for solat hajat (special prayer) in Rusila, Marang, where he is the MP.