GE14: Zahid also campaigns in Javanese
BAGAN DATUK, April 30 (Bernama) --Perhaps Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid is not often heard speaking in fluent Javanese language especially when attending an official programme.
But when the Deputy Prime Minister returned to his constituency, he spoke not only in the Malay language but he was also not awkward when communicating in the Javanese language, especially when attending any programme involving the presence of a community of Malay-Javanese voters.
This is the uniqueness of the local parliamentary leader who could in kindness speak jokingly, reducing differences and building close ties between leaders and local residents.
Ahmad Zahid, 65, who is of Javanese descent, would be defending the Bagan Datuk Parliamentary constituency for the sixth term since winning in GE9 in 1995 and in this general election he faces a three-cornered contest against Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Pakhrurrazi Arshad and Ata Abdul Muneim Hasan Adli (PAS).
For his third day of campaign today, he attended several programmes including community-friendly and Jalinan Rakyat (JR) staff members 'Kenduri Sekampung' programme in Kampung Badri in Hutan Melintang.
Half of Ahmad Zahid's speech at the programme was said to be in the Javanese language and interspersed with the Malay language.
"Look, they (the media) do not understand what we are saying. Let it be. This is for us.
"What matters is that we understand," said Ahmad Zahid, greeted by applause and thunderous claps from the local residents who attended.
Also present was the BN candidate for the Hutan Melintang State Assembly Datuk Khairuddin Tarmizi.
In addition, the speech which Ahmad Zahid often repeated was pledging to hand over his RM6 million allocation as a Member of Parliament to be divided equally between the Hutan Melintang and Rungkup state seats if the two seats were won by Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 14th General Election (GE14).
He pointed out that it was a token of his appreciation to the people of Bagan Datuk who continued to trust BN to remain in power whereby the allocation would be given within five years, each would obtain an allocation of RM15 million.
"If Datuk Khairuddin Tarmizi won in the Hutan Melintang state seat, many will ask, what will the branches and Indian, Chinese and Malay communities there get.
"Do not worry, I will give the allocation that the Bagan Datuk Parliament will get from the Prime Minister to Hutan Melintang as well as Rungkup so they can use it to help the people," he said.
The P.075 Parliament Bagan Datuk Parliamentary constituency has 47,215 registered voters comprising 27,997 Malays (59.30%); 8,389 Chinese (17.77%) and 10,114 Indians (21.42%).
-- BERNAMA
