Muhyiddin confident of retaining Pagoh seat despite study suggesting otherwise

KUALA LUMPUR: Armed with 40 years of experience as Pagoh's Member of Parliament, incumbent Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is confident he can defend the seat for a seventh term in the 15th general election (GE15).

Commenting on a study stating that he might lose the Pagoh parliamentary seat in GE15, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman said he understood the pulse of the people in the area, who are praying and hoping that he will win on polling day this Saturday (Nov 19).

"I am confident and believe that the majority of voters in Pagoh, irrespective of whether they are Malays, Chinese, Indians or Orang Asli, will back me and help me continue with my role as the Pagoh MP.

"Whatever is the prediction, it doesn't matter. It (study) is just a view," he told a media conference after chairing the PN Supreme Council meeting at its headquarters here today.

Yesterday, Barisan Nasional (BN) Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Shabery Cheek was reported to have said that a study predicted that Muhyiddin might lose in Pagoh and Datuk Seri Azmin Ali would be made the Prime Minister candidate for PN.

In the GE15, Muhyiddin will be involved in a three-cornered fight against BN candidate and former Muar MP Datuk Seri Razali Ibrahim and Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate from PKR Iskandar Shah Abdul Rahman.

Muhyiddin has held the Pagoh parliamentary seat since 1978, except in 1986 and 1990 when he contested the Bukit Serampang state seat. He won the Pagoh parliamentary seat in GE14 by defeating Ahmad Nawfal Mahfodz of PAS and Ismail Mohamed of BN with a majority of 6,927 votes.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin appealed to all early voters to fulfil their responsibilities tomorrow (Nov 15) as a high percentage of voter turnout would help all parties, especially PN, in the GE15.

The Bersatu president hoped that early voters would make comparisons between candidates and parties and support PN based on its manifesto which touched on the welfare of civil servants, including raising the cost of living allowance of civil servants by RM100.

He also said that PN had formulated its strategies for the campaigning period, which is now into its second week, including identifying areas, categories of voters and communities to be approached so as to win votes in order to win GE15.

-- BERNAMA