Melaka polls: Campaigns should focus on issues, not hatred, says Umno leader

MELAKA: Election campaigns should not become a platform for spreading hatred or disparaging political opponents, Kedah Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said.

Mahdzir said he agreed with caretaker Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh's approach of avoiding hate politics and a culture of running down political opponents.

Mahdzir said the focus should instead be on current realities, while acknowledging that identity politics remained part of political practices worldwide.

He said Melaka voters should also evaluate Ab Rauf's performance over the past three years, including his achievements and how he had managed the state, when deciding how to vote in the state election.

He said the people were best placed to evaluate what Ab Rauf had done for Melaka and had every right to judge the performance of the state leadership.

"The people of Melaka know what the Chief Minister has done for the state, and they have every right to assess the performance of the state leadership," he told reporters during a programme to meet voters and traders with Barisan Nasional candidate for Pantai Kundor, Datuk Tuminah Kadi, at Pantai Puteri last night.

On voters' choices, Mahdzir said political developments over the past seven to eight months had also influenced their decisions, adding that many might have already made up their minds about five months ago.

"I think the people of Melaka had already made their decisions five months ago. They actually know what they want to do when they cast their votes.

"This has to do with the series of events that have unfolded over the past seven to eight months up until now," he said.