PAKATAN Harapan will boost its campaign strategy for the Seri Setia by-election, having identified weaknesses that led to a low voter turnout in the August 4 Sungai Kandis polls.

Its Seri Setia candidate, Halimey Abu Bakar, said the pact has identified what went wrong in Sungai Kandis, and will rectify its mistakes.

“From the Sungai Kandis by-election, we have learnt the weaknesses that led to the low voter turnout. We acknowledge the weaknesses, and will take them into consideration for the Seri Setia contest,” he told reporters at the by-election operation centre in Petaling Jaya today.

The Sungai Kandis polls saw a voter turnout of 49% – the second lowest ever recorded. The lowest turnout – 46% – was recorded in the Penanti by-election.

In Seri Setia, Halimey is in a straight fight with PAS’ Dr Halimah Ali.

The PH candidate said the pact’s election machinery will make its presence felt in every polling district in the state constituency.

“We will go down to the ground and employ a better strategy to ensure people come out and vote.”

The Seri Setia by-election – as well as the Balakong polls, to be held on the same day – will see PH using the pact’s logo for the first time.

In the 14th general election, PH candidates contested using the PKR logo, due to difficulties the coalition faced in getting registered.

Halimey said the use of the “new” logo in Seri Setia will not be an issue, as locals are well aware of the change.

“We will go all out and promote PH, such as by distributing leaflets and posters.”

The seat fell vacant following the death of Shaharuddin Badaruddin due to colon cancer on August 2.

In GE14, Shaharuddin, of PH, won with a 19,372-vote majority. He secured a total of 29,250 votes in a four-cornered fight against Barisan Nasional’s Yusoff M. Haniff, Mohd Ghazali Daud (PAS) and Vigneswaran Subramaniam (independent).

Seri Setia has 52,650 eligible voters, comprising 55% Malays, Chinese (20%), Indians (24%) and others (2%). – August 19, 2018.