Shafie slams Anwar's early campaigning for Kajang seat

Umno vice- president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal on Thursday slammed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for having started his campaign for the Kajang state by-election even before the Election Commission (EC) had announced the date of the by-election.

He said this went to show that the opposition party did not respect the election regulations and the country's laws.

"I am disappointed by Anwar's action in campaigning early, even before the EC had announced the date of the by-election," he said after launching the national-level 'Komuniti Sihat Perkasa Negara' (KOSPEN) health programme with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Paya, Buloh Kasap, near here.

When asked about the preparations of the Barisan Nasional (BN) for the by-election, he said the BN was always prepared.

Commenting on the announcement that Tan Sri Adenan Satem would be the new Sarawak chief minister after the retirement of Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud at the end of this month, Mohd Shafie said Adenan had the capability to continue with the BN leadership in the state.

"He has vast experience at the national level and was previously a federal minister, which I think was a criteria in his selection to succeed Abdul Taib," he added.