Refrain from PAS Bill issue during by-elections campaign, Azalina urged all parties

All parties campaigning in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-election have been urged not to touch on the issue of the Syariah amendment, Private Member's Bill. This includes Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said they should focus on the people's issues as the Syariah amendment issue had yet to reach a conclusion.

"It was only a presentation of a motion; we have not even passed the first reading.This means there are no debates or votes yet. "

We should not be jumping the gun. I hope all parties including Barisan Nasional's component parties will refrain from using the issue and focus on issues that matter to the people first," she said after launching the cycling event 'Kayuhan Cinta Malaysia Ambang Ramadan' at SK Sg Limau Besar here today.

Azalina said voters should look at the two matters separately and prioritise local issues instead of national ones.

"We should separate these two issues and focus on continuing the work of the former members of parliament in the two areas. Issues such as state and federal development should be the main concern, as they were during the Sarawak state election. "

Voters should focus on local issues as it is too premature if they want to look at national issues such as those debated in the Parliament," she added.

The two parliamentary seats fell vacant following the deaths of Datuk Noriah Kasnon (Sungai Besar) and Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad (Kuala Kangsar) in a helicopter crash on May 5.

The tragedy that took place in Sebuyau, Sarawak also took the lives of Noriah's husband Asmuni Abdullah and three others including the pilot.

In Sungai Besar, BN is fielding Sungai Panjang state assemblyman Budiman Mohd Zohdi while Pas named Dr Abdul Rani Osman (Meru) as a candidate.

Pakatan Harapan is contesting Azhar Abdul Shukur (Sungai Besar) of Amanah.

Source -NST Online-