Wanita UMNO not afraid to campaign in black areas - Shahrizat

Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said Wanita UMNO is not afraid to campaign in the PAS stronghold of Sungai Limau.

The Wanita UMNO chief said members will use the soft approach to help the Barisan Nasional (BN) wrest Sungai Limau state seat in the by-election.

"We will convey the Prime Minister's and Deputy Prime Minister's message of development and unification to the grassroots.

"Wanita Umno had captured several black areas using the soft approach and by conveying a positive message," she said after visiting the Wanita Umno operation room in Taman Mahsuri Tuesday.

Sungai Limau is a PAS stronghold and was represented by former Kedah menteri besar Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak since 1995.

The state seat fell vacant following Azizan's death on Sept 26.

The Election Commission fixed nomination for Sungai Limau on Oct 23 with polling on Nov 4. The constituency has 27,222 voters.

The BN has named Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris lecturer Prof Dr Suhaimi Lazim as candidate while PAS has named Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam Kedah director Mohd Azam Samat as its candidate.

Suhaimi,52, is Jerai UMNO division committee member while Mohd Azam,37, is Jerai PAS Youth chief.

Commenting on the defeat of Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir in the contest for a vice-president's post, Shahrizat said it did not show that he was not accepted by UMNO members.

"It is incorrect to say that he was rejected by UMNO members. The result shows that his leadership is accepted not only in Kedah but also across the country."