Dr Mahathir should not blame voters for their choice - Rahman Dahlan

The people should not be blamed for their choice in the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar Parliamentary seat by-elections, said Barisan Nasional (BN) Strategic Communications Director Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

Commenting former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's statement in his blog that BN’s victory in the by-elections were due to hand-outs and gifts to voters, Abdul Rahman said the accusations deemed the voters had no standing of their own.

“I feel, people chose BN because it gave hope as a good party to their future generation, a guarantee to national security, not based on certain issues only.

“The accusations made are off-target, illogical and baseless, just because they lost in the elections. He knew what he was doing, I feel he must accept that the people have made their choice,” he said.

Abdul Rahman, who is also Urban Well-Being, Housing and Local Government Minister, said this when met after a programme to hand out bubur lambuk (rice porridge) at his ministry here Tuesday.

He said voters in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar were matured enough and had their own stand on issues brought by Dr Mahathir.

“They heard what Dr Mahathir said and made the decision that they do not believe all he said,” Abdul Rahman said.

BN scored a landslide victory in both the by-elections last Saturday, with Datin Mastura Mohd Yazid winning by a majority of 6,969 votes in Kuala Kangsar and Budiman Mohd Zohdi securing a majority of 9,191 votes in Sungai Besar.