KULIM: The Barisan Nasional machinery has been reminded to work hard as a team to secure over 5,000 votes to wrest the Padang Serai parliamentary seat and its two state seats from the Opposition in the next general election.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said nothing is impossible for BN to change the tide in Padang Serai, for as long as the machinery worked together for the 14th General Election (GE14).
Zahid pointed out that in the previous general election five years ago, BN lost the seat to PKR by 8,437 majority votes compared to the 11,738 majority votes won by PKR in the 12th GE in 2010.
"So, all we need is to secure some 5,000 swing votes to wrest Padang Serai back from PKR after losing it in the previous two general elections.
"This can be done if our machinery works as a united team, put aside differences and hold firm to three key factors namely resilience, fighting spirit and competitiveness," Zahid said in his speech at a gathering with the people of Padang Serai at Kulim Hi-Tech Park Sporst Complex here today.
Present were Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah and BN leaders from state and Padang Serai division and also former PKR Padang Serai member of Parliament N. Gobalakrishnan.
Zahid stressed that if Gobalakrishnan could return to BN after leaving the coalition for many years, it was not impossible to convince voters in Padang Serai to vote for BN.
"We all remember well how Gobalakrishnan had been bashing and critising the government in the Parliament session when he was still with the other side.
"If such a fierce opposition leader could finally come to realise that BN is the only party that is capable of looking after the interest of our multi-racial community, I have a strong belief that we could get 5,000 voters in Padang Serai to swing their votes to BN," he said.
Gobakrishnan was former MIC Youth leader before he left the party to join Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 1999 and won the Padang Serai seat in the 2010 general election, defeating BN candidate from MCA, Datuk Boey Chin Gan with 11,738 majority votes.
In 2010, the former PKR vice president quit the party following a falling out with Anwar before returning to MIC last May and recontesting in Padang Serai seat during the previous general election as an Independent candidate.
However, he lost his deposit in a five-cornered fight which was won by PKR's N. Surendren by 8,473 majority votes.
BN also failed to recapture the two seats in the constituency, namely Merbau Pulas and Lunas after losing to Pas and PKR respectively.
On a similar note, Zahid also reminded the BN machinery that one of the reasons BN lost in Padang Serai was a lack of spiritual development although the area enjoyed rapid development following the establishment of Kulim Hi-Tech Park.
"We also discovered that contrary to general belief, the voters here did not vote based on racial lines, but it was more of an issue concerning emotional happiness, so we need to look into this," he said.
In the speech, Zahid also reiterated the Federal government's commitment to develop Kedah as the logistics hub in the northern region, citing the Prime Minister's announcement on the upgrading of Sultan Abdul Halim Airport in Alor Star into an international airport in five years time.
"I am confident that Datuk Seri Najib Razak will deliver the promise in less than five years because we are committed to turn Kedah and Perlis as the logistics hub in the northern region.
"That is why I have been visiting Bukit Kayu Hitam five times in recent times just to make sure the ICQS (Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security) Complex is completed in six months.
"We want to make sure Bukit Kayu Hitam is the main entrance to this country and Kedah will continue to enjoy development through funding from the federal government," he said.
