KUALA LUMPUR: The outcome of the Kemaman by-election, which saw Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar clinching the seat, has confirmed the upward momentum of people's support for Perikatan Nasional.
Pas secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said he believed it was also a referendum of the people against the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) coalition.
Takiyuddin said the by-election's result highlighted the continued failure of the federal government in gaining the trust and support of the people, even after a year in power.
"In the context of this Kemaman by-election, the votes obtained by PH-BN candidate as much as 27,778, which represents a support level of 30 per cent, is much lower than the votes garnered by both PH and BN in the last 15th General Election, which were 8,340 and 38,535 votes, respectively, which represents 41 per cent support (of voters).
"In other words, the PH-BN coalition not only failed to gain new support but continued to lose the support it had previously enjoyed based on the significant decline recorded in Kemaman," Takiyuddin said in a statement today.
He said Pas believed that the by-election's result was also voters' rejection of 'politics of allocations' and dishonourable tactics used by Putrajaya to pressure opposition MPs and state governments.
"Pas expresses its profound gratitude to Allah and the voters for the significant victory of Ahmad Samsuri, who represented Pas in the by-election for the Kemaman parliament constituency held yesterday.
"Pas reaffirms its commitment for mature and democratic politics, both as the opposition in Parliament and as a governing party in the states it oversees.
"This commitment is based on the belief that such an approach is the best way to serve the interests of the country and its people."
Meanwhile, he said, Pas was also prepared to take on greater responsibilities at the national level, given the federal government's failure in safeguarding the people and the country from the negative impacts of its actions as well as the global developments.
Ahmad Samsuri, popularly known as Dr Sam among voters, secured 64,998 votes, while Barisan Nasional's General (Rtd) Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor bagged 27,778 votes.
There were 428 spoilt votes, while the voter turnout for the by-election was 65 per cent.
Ahmad Samsuri, who is also Pas vice-president, won by a 37,220 majority, surpassing the previous majority by 10,041 votes.
