THE Pakatan Harapan (PH) machinery in the Pulai parliamentary by-election is focusing its efforts on strengthening ties with the grassroots of the component parties of the unity government.

PH candidate Suhaizan Kaiat said the PH-Barisan Nasional (BN) pact has been established, there was still some clarification that needed to be made at the grassroots level, especially in Umno.

He said there was still a handful of Umno members who are not clear about the political dynamics that caused PH and BN to become allies.

“During this campaign period, I will meet voters and the grassroots, especially of Umno, to talk to them and plead for their support.

“At the BN and Umno level, their leader Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (Johor BN chairman) is also actively providing clarification to the grassroots,” he said at the PH operations room in the Johor state constituency, last night.

Suhaizan advised the PH-BN machinery to not be lulled into complacency by the popularity of the late Salahuddin Ayub, who was the Pulai MP.

“Don’t become too comfortable with our majority in the previous general election… We must continue the late Salahuddin’s legacy and improve our performance,” he said.

In the Pulai parliamentary by-election, Suhaizan faces a three-cornered fight against Zulkifli Jaafar of Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.

The Pulai federal and Simpang Jeram state by-elections were called following the death Salahuddin on July 23.

The two by-elections will take place on September 9. Early voting is on September 5. – Bernama, August 27, 2023.