Mahmud, BN’S sole survivor in Nibong Tebal to carry on with transformational projects

GEORGE TOWN: The tag of “sole survivor” from Barisan Nasional ( BN) in the Nibong Tebal constituency might stay with newly- elected Sungai Acheh assemblyman Datuk Mahmud Zakaria for a while after the recently- concluded 13th general election (GE13).

Mahmud had faced a threecornered fight for the Sungai Acheh state seat (in the Nibong Tebal parliamentary constituency) against PKR’s firebrand, Badrul Hisham Shaharin or better known as CheguBard, and PAS’ Mohd Yusni Mat Piah.

Mahmud managed to retain the seat he won in 2008 by garnering 6,891 votes, giving him an 808-vote majority.

However, his comrades, parliamentary seat candidate Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman, Sungai Bakap state seat candidate Mohd Foad Mat Isa and Jawi candidate Tan Cheng Liang all lost to Pakatan Rakyat ( PR) candidates.

The soft- spoken Mahmud, 64, admitted that it was the toughest battle for him, facing CheguBard in the GE13 as the latter was known for his oratory skills, besides being PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s blueeyed boy.

“Initially, we were worried as CheguBard is known nationwide and although he lost in the previous elections, he is a good orator. We also thought that at a young age of 35, the young voters would be inclined to choose him.

“But our assumption proved wrong because in the rural areas like Tanjung Berembang, Sungai Setar, Sungai Acheh and Sungai Bakau, most of the young voters gave their votes to me,” he said.

Anwar had defended the party’s decision to field CheguBard in the state seat even though the decision was opposed by PAS, resulting in friction between the two allies in PR.

But the friction proved to benefit Mahmud, apart from strong support from the grassroots that contributed to his win for his second term.

Mahmud said he would continue to serve the community with transformational projects that were in the pipeline.

Among his plans for Sungai Acheh is to boost padi yields to more than six tonnes per hectare per season.

“We have been receiving water from Bukit Merah in Perak. Sometimes, there were delays in the water supply reaching us, thus upsetting the padi planting schedule,” he said. — Bernama