I’m glad to be finally coming home, says Isa

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PORT DICKSON: Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad is glad that he is finally coming “home”.

Home for the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election is the kampung in the constituency where he grew up and where he knew the village folks and their families by their first names.

“I am glad to be coming home. I never had the chance to serve the people in my kampung as I had all along been Linggi assemblyman,” the former six-term assemblyman told reporters after the nomination ended at the Port Dickson Municipal Council hall yesterday.

Isa is also confident that he would be able to defend the seat for Barisan despite not being politically active since his three-year suspension from Umno which ended last year.

He said his biggest advantage was that almost everyone in Bagan Pinang knew him.

Barisan man: Muhyiddin (right) and Mentri Besar of Negri Sembilan Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan lifting Isa’s hands after his nomination was accepted at Dewan Majlis Perbandaran in Port Dickson yesterday.

“I would like to remind the opposition that I am not a recycled politician. I was away for a short while and not like certain leaders in the opposition who were in jail for years and yet came back and contested,” he said.

Of his opponent Zulkefly Mohammad Omar, Mohd Isa said he hardly knew him.

“But I am sure he knows who I am,” he said.

Mohd Isa also rubbished talk that the state Umno was divided over his candidacy, saying if that was true he would not have agreed to stand.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat who was also present said although the Chinese made up less than 11% of the voters, the party would go all out to woo them.

“Every vote is important,” he said, adding that Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had told him the support for Barisan was getting stronger.

“I have told all MCA members here that we need to work very hard. It is pointless to say we are confident but to take things easy after that,” he said.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the party would also work hard to secure the Indian votes which make up 20.7% of the voters.

Describing Mohd Isa as a “first class” candidate, Samy Velu said he would personally attend ceramah organised by the MIC to woo the Indian community.

“We want to make sure the majority of the Indian votes return to Barisan this time,” he said.

Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon was also confident of Barisan retaining the seat.

“It is not going to be easy but we have a charismatic leader in Tan Sri Mohd Isa. We will be able to retain the seat if all of us continue with our hard work and remained focus on the job ahead,” he said.