KOTA BARU, 1 June 2009: Sleeping in people’s homes and tapping rubber together with villagers will be among the methods used by the Umno information machinery to gain voters’ support in the 14 July Manik Urai by-election.
Umno information head Ahmad Maslan said Barisan Nasional (BN) workers must experience the hardship of people, who are mostly farmers, there.
“The Umno information machinery was officially launched today, by sleeping in the villagers’ homes, and the machinery will feel the hardships that the villagers face as farm workers.
“The ceramah will continue to be held but what is more important is to meet the voters personally and explain to them why it is important that they vote for the BN in the coming by-election,” he told reporters after a briefing organised by the Kelantan Umno information machinery.
The by-election is being held following the death of the incumbent assemblyperson, Ismail Yaacob, from PAS, due to a heart attack on 22 May.
The Election Commission fixed 6 July for nomination day.
Ahmad, who is also a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said the BN would try as far as possible to meet more than 12,000 voters in the constituency by going to their homes, surau and work place.
He said the spirit of unity in Umno and BN in Kelantan was very strong. “There is light at the end of the tunnel,” he added. — Bernama
Lainie says
Like some elaborate prank, but really far away from the 1st of April.
Dan-yel says
What a joke. Do they think by letting these ‘BN workers’ sleep in at their houses, it is going to convince them that the politicians are becoming more emphatic? What the voters need is real policy change and the implementation of it. Rhetoric change. Overhaul of BN. Serious reforms.
This is no less evident of BN’s condescending attitude towards voters. Voters, BN, have mind, intelligence and emotion. It requires no less than common sense and sensibility.
Siew Eng says
A tour of how the poor live? After the novel experience, what next? A badge of honour and a certificate for all those who survive? Or some honest evaluation of what happened to the objectives of the NEP?
On a somewhat related matter – what happened after the Disneyland trips?
tkwah says
Who would really believe that sleeping in Manik Urai for two nights will change the “leopards’ spots” of politicians who are more accustomed to the luxury of five star hotels, easy money, and privileged positions, for the other 363 days in a year? Unbelievable but good try, duh.