KOTA BHARU, Aug 12 — Pakatan Harapan (Harapan) candidate Dr Hafidzah Mustakim pulled off a seemingly impossible upset by conquering the Kota Lama seat, a PAS stronghold, in the state polls.
The Kelantan Harapan deputy women’s chief beat PAS candidate Datuk Zamri Ismail, a PAS heavyweight, by just 202 votes with 9,691 ballots against Zamri’s 9,489, while Parti Rakyat Malaysia candidate Tan Boon Kian and Independent Izat Bukhary Ismail Bukhary lost their deposits with 126 and 85 votes, respectively.
Dr Hafidzah said she wants to serve as a check and balance in the state.
“Though Kelantan is dominated by PAS, the win will certainly be the beginning of a paradigm shift in the history of Malaysian politics. My priority is to serve the people of Kota Lama who have given me the mandate for change,” said Dr Hafidzah when met at Dewan Jubli Perak, Kota Bharu City Council, here today.
Meanwhile, Galas incumbent Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim, representing Barisan Nasional, defended the seat for a second term and pledged to continue serving the people who have continued to support him.
“I will uphold the trust placed on me by the people here and carry out my duties well. My aim is to turn Galas into a model for two other constituencies under the Gua Musang parliamentary constituency that are held by PAS,” he said.
— Bernama
