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PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has cautioned against complacency following Barisan Nasional’s (BN) convincing victory in the Ayer Kuning state by-election last Saturday, saying it should serve as a spur for renewed efforts to address the needs of the people.
Government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, said Anwar began Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting by congratulating the BN team for their performance, but also issued a firm reminder that winning an election is not the end of the journey.
“He asked not to feel relieved by this result but to work harder to solve the people’s problems,” Fahmi told reporters at a press conference after the meeting.
While voter turnout was relatively low, Fahmi said the results still offered encouraging signs, particularly in terms of support from young and Malay voters.
“Out of the 20 polling district centres (PDM), 19 were won by BN while only one went to Perikatan Nasional (PN), and even that with a reduced majority,” he noted.
In the by-election held on April 27, BN candidate Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, who is also the UMNO Tapah Division Secretary, won by a landslide majority of 5,006 votes. He secured 11,065 votes, ahead of PN’s Abdul Muhaimin Malek who obtained 6,059 votes, and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) candidate Bawani KS who garnered 1,106 votes.
The by-election saw 31,897 registered voters eligible to cast their ballots.
The vote was held following the death of the incumbent assemblyman, Ishsam Shahruddin, who passed away from a heart attack on 22 February after taking part in a friendly football match in Penang. - April 30, 2025