Personal attacks on BN can lead to swift police action - Ahmad Zahid

Any member of the Opposition who touches on personal issue in regards to the Barisan Nasional during the Permatang Pauh by-election will have to face police action, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“Immediate investigation will be carried out against anyone who plays or distributes videos that touches personal issues of the BN and action will be taken,” he warned.

He said BN will not resort to personal attacks and called on all to campaign with integrity.

“Let us all campaign with integrity and democratically. The people of Permatang Pauh will be the judge,” he said at a press conference after launching the Puteri BN election machinery.

READ:It's a four-corner fight in Permatang Pauh

Ahmad Zahid who is also the Permatang Pauh by-election director, said the people of the constituency have matured and are ready to change to BN.

He also said that the Opposition should not use sympathy to garner votes for the by-election.

That is their strategy. In every by-electionor general election, they calim to be the underdog. What underdog? They are the state government, so we are the underdog,” he said.

“We should be symnpathised by the voters of Permatang Pauh because for the last 17 years we were denied the rights to help the people here. Their rights have been neglected,” he said.

“Sympathise with us as the underdog candidate. Enough is enough,” he said.

READ: Don't touch on sensitive issues, police warns

Ahmad Zahid said the people are also bored with all the negative comments and allegations against the BN.

He said the BN will also engage in interpersonal communication as some of the new strategies to engage the people of the constituency.

The Election Commission (EC) had set polling date for the by-election on May 7, while early voting is set on May 3.

According to the EC, there are 71,820 registered voters in Permatang Pauh with 627 early voters.

The Permatang Pauh seat fell vacant after Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is serving a five-year jail sentence for sodomy, was disqualified as a Member of Parliament on March 16 when a petition for a royal pardon by Anwar's family over his conviction for sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan was rejected by the Pardons Board.