THE people of Kelantan must opt for a change by giving an opportunity to unity government parties to win the August 12 state election, said Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The deputy prime minister also said the people of Kelantan need to make a change as the state has been under the same government for the past 33 years.

“Give the unity government parties a chance to bring changes to this state. Pity the people of this state. Try to give just one term, only five years (to the unity government parties). If we do the same thing or wrong thing (no development), then change back after one term (the state government).

“But this time try to give your support to us. Insya-Allah, we will do our best. To parents, tell your children who will be returning (to vote) and those already staying in this state, enough for now because 33 years (of administration) is too long,” he said at a gathering with the Kelantan Government Retirees Association in Hua Musang today.

Zahid said although the unity government is not perfect, it will try to rectify all mistakes for the benefit of the people of Kelantan.

“We (the unity government) will defend the fate of the people of Kelantan and overcome its state of backwardness by bringing about rapid development. We will continue to assist Kelantan, more so if Kelantan is in the hands of the Madani government,” he said.

The Election Commission has fixed polling for the state elections in Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan on August 12, nomination on July 29, while early voting is on August 8.

During the media conference, Zahid said that if Kelantan is under the administration of the unity government, it will be easier to coordinate all plans to develop the state’s economy. 

He said one proposal recommended by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was to make Kelantan a recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI).

“The people of Kelantan should not be marginalised for another 33 years by a state government that is not aligned to the federal government,” said Zahid.

Asked about the state legislative assembly seat distribution between Umno and Amanah in the six state polls, Zahid, who is also Umno president, said the matter had been agreed on and finalised by the top leaderships of BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH).

“The seat distribution negotiations were not directly with the (BN and PH) component parties. The PH chairman and BN chairman made the decision and finalised the distribution of seats (to be contested) according to the agreed distribution,” he said, adding that PH and BN would give the chance to component parties to contest in the state polls.

The media today reported that Amanah was surprised to find out that BN will contest the Tepuh seat when BN announced its election candidates at the World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur on Friday (July 21).

Terengganu Amanah chairman Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad said this was because the Terengganu unity secretariat meeting had previously agreed to let Amanah contest the seat. – Bernama, July 23, 2023.