Hybrid strategy to be employed by Umno for Mahkota polls, says Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno will employ a hybrid strategy for the upcoming Mahkota by-election, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

As such, the Umno president said the diverse composition of the Mahkota state seat will require assistance from all the component parties in the unity government.

“Since 35% of the 66,000 voters are Chinese, we are seeking assistance from all the parties under the unity government to mobilise their election machinery.

“For that, DAP has a certain segment and we gave other segments to MCA,” he said in a press conference during a walkabout session of the TVET Explorasi programme at the 2024 Umno General Assembly here, on Saturday (Aug 24).

Zahid also said MIC will be mobilising their machinery to focus on the 8,000 Indian voters in Mahkota.

“We will also ask the PKR leaders and members from the Indian community to help out as well,” he added.

Earlier Saturday, Johor DAP vice-chairman Teo Nie Ching offered to provide Umno assistance to campaign for the Mahkota state seat as the Kluang parliamentary seat held by the party member, Wong Shu Qi.

When asked about PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang calling Umno a bigger “dajjal” than the false Messiah itself, Zahid in a brief reply said the party is the real deceiver.

In a Facebook post on Friday (Aug 23), Abdul Hadi claimed Umno had resorted to politics of deception as a weapon during the recent Nenggiri by-election through corrupt means.