Despite going up against two Independent candidates and expected to garner more than 95 per cent of the votes in the Chini by-election, Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Mohd Sharim Md Zain, is not taking things lightly.

The 41-year-old who admitted to only sleeping for about an hour a day since the campaigning period began on Saturday said as a freshman in politics, he now understood that standing for an election was a demanding task, both physically and mentally.

"This is one of the challenges for me in the by-election, especially since I'm a first-time candidate.

"The by-election campaign has been physically and mentally taxing as I have only managed to sleep for one hour (a day) meaning 23 hours of being awake, thinking about the campaign which needs to be coordinated well," he told reporters during a walkabout session around Pusat Bandar Dara Chini, near here, today.

Mohd Sharim also expressed appreciation to his campaign machinery as well as PAS members who were helping out under the spirit of the 'Muafakat Nasional' cooperation.

Meanwhile, Mohd Sharim said the tourism sector at Tasik Chini was an important aspect to focus on as it had great potential.

"We will study the advantages and disadvantages of the tourism sector at Tasik Chini and we will also consider having other attractions there to get more tourists to come," he said.

The Chini by-election on July 4 involves a three-way contest between Mohd Sharim and two independent candidates, namely Mohd Shukri Mohd Ramli, 49, and Tengku Datuk Zainul Hisham Tengku Hussin, 64.

-- BERNAMA