BN may capture Pengkalan Chepa
Undefeated PAS stronghold may fall due to lack of heavyweight candidates
KOTA BARU: History will be created in Kelantan should Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Zaluzi Sulaiman succeed in wresting control of the Pengkalan Chepa parliamentary seat from PAS.
Pengkalan Chepa is the darkest seat for Kelantan Barisan as PAS has remained undefeated there.
This time, the only PAS heavyweight contesting in that area is vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who is standing in the Panchor state seat.
Zaluzi, who is also the Pengkalan Chepa Umno chief, said in the past, it would have been tough to win the seats in Pengkalan Chepa because PAS usually fielded its heavyweights there.
“But now, there are no more heavyweights from PAS other that its vice-president.
“As PAS is fielding an outsider to contest the Pengkalan Chepa parliamentary seat, we stand a fighting chance in making inroads into this stronghold,” he said.
Zaluzi, 53, is standing in a three-cornered fight against PAS’ Ahmad Marzuk Shaary, 43, and Pakatan Harapan’s Major (Rtd) Mohamad Ibrahim.
PAS icon, the late Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat, was Pengkalan Chepa’s first MP, holding the seat for three terms from 1974 to 1986.
“Even Nik Omar (the son of Nik Aziz) is contesting against PAS,” said Zaluzi.
“I want the people of Pengkalan Chepa to enjoy a better future. I want to see Pengkalan Chepa thriving again,” he added.
When Barisan ruled Kelantan from 1978 to 1990, Pengkalan Chepa, he said, saw rapid development although the constituency remained a PAS stronghold.
“We saw factories mushrooming
in the Pengkalan Chepa Industrial Zone.
“When PAS wrested control of Kelantan in 1990, the factories started moving out.
“If given the mandate, we can make Pengkalan Chepa great. Barisan has a good track record in attracting investments and bringing progress,” he said.
Zaluzi is leading a team of freshfaced Barisan candidates – Wan Shahrul Azuan Wan Ab Aziz, 47, Mohamed Fareez Noor Amran, 35, and Zarina Md Eusope, 47, who are contesting in the Kijang, Chempaka and Panchor state seats.
Nik Omar is contesting the Chempaka state seat as a Pakatan candidate against PAS’ incumbent Ahmad Fathan Mahmood and Barisan’s Mohamed Fareez.
Zaluzi said response from the ground had been good.
“We are not seasonal campaigners who go around meeting people only during elections. We have been helping people for years as we are service-oriented.
“We have 18,000 Umno members here. Our machinery is strong.
“There are no more black areas here as we have penetrated even the zones occupied by hardcore supporters,” he said.
The bulk of the 76,384 voters in Pengkalan Chepa are Malays (97.93%), followed by Chinese (1.49%) and Indians (0.11%).