PAS candidate soldiers on
Nazari: We’ve shared a stage together so I’m not afraid to take Anwar on
PORT DICKSON: As an ex-military veteran, PAS candidate Lt-Kol (Rtd) Mohd Nazari Mokhtar says the word “fear” does not exist in his dictionary.
The 57-year-old, who is the president of the Army Retirees and Veterans Welfare Club, said he had spoken on the same stage as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and was not afraid to contest against the PKR president-elect.
“I used to share the same stage as Anwar, Mohamad Sabu (Defence Minister), PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and other Pakatan Harapan leaders when we campaigned and gave ceramah all over the country.
“So the issue of fear does not arise,” he said.
Nazari said he was surprised at first when PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan called to inform him that he was the party’s choice for the Port Dickson by-election.
“I did not expect to be fielded as I was just helping the party campaign for Dr Halimah Ali who contested in the Seri Setia by-election.
“We were also planning our strat- egy if Umno had decided to contest in Port Dickson,” he added.
Nazari urged Umno members who were unsure to vote for PAS.
“There is no dacing symbol on polling day, so please vote for the moon symbol,” he said.
Nazari, who holds a Masters degree in Defence and Strategies Studies from Islamic University of Technology, Bangladesh, said his day starts as early as 5am meeting folk at the surau.
“We are campaigning house-tohouse in the villages where many armed forces veterans live,” he added. “So far, the response has been positive.
“They told me they want to register their protest against ex-serviceman Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, who resigned his seat to make way for Anwar to return to Parliament,” he said.