VOTERS should not vote for Pakatan Harapan just to punish Barisan Nasional, said Muar incumbent Razali Ibrahim today.

“If they pick PH because they believe in the pact, let them. But if they want to vote for PH because they want to punish BN, tell them to think twice,” he said during a special briefing for grassroots leaders in a “Sembang Santai Bersama Pemimpin” session, in conjunction with national unity week.

The leaders comprise Rukun Tetangga leaders, and will man the Tanjung Selatan polling station.

Razali said BN does not believe in “punishing” voters, and this is evident in the high-speed rail project in the east coast.

“Prime Minister Najib Razak is building a high-speed rail in the east coast even though Kelantan is not a BN state. We don’t believe in punishing the state just because they didn’t vote for us.

“Voters in Muar shouldn’t do the same (vote for PH) just to punish BN.”

He said Selangor, after having changed its government in 2008, now lags behind Johor.

“So, why should we follow them when we have achieved many things?”

The caretaker deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department also asked those who do not believe in Najib to quit their posts.

He said there are village chiefs and branch leaders who criticise Najib, but cannot take care of their own villages and branches.

“Don’t change governments just because we want to punish them. This has happened in Syria, Libya and Egypt, and the leaders have continued to change.”

He said he is tired of the opposition’s rhetoric and promises to rebuild the nation.

“Are we that bad, that we need rebuilding? They are playing with the emotions of voters to win, and not fighting based on results.”

Razali will defend the Muar federal seat for the fourth time since winning it in 2004. In the last elections, he beat PKR’s Nor Hizwan Ahmad by 1,646 votes.

This time around, he faces a stiff challenge from Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. The third candidate vying for the seat is PAS’ Abdul Aziz Taib. – April 29, 2018.