Isa says he is better at running a state than Nik Aziz

The poster war gets more intense in Bagan Pinang. This one is targeted at the electorate’s ‘short-term’ memory. — Picture by Choo Choy May

By Adib Zalkapli- The Malaysian Insider

PORT DICKSON, Oct 4 — Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad today urged PAS to advise Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat how to better run the Kelantan government instead of exposing his alleged failure as the Negri Sembilan mentri besar for 22 years.

The Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Bagan Pinang by-election was responding to a statement by Salahuddin Ayub, the PAS vice-president, earlier today that the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) party would use all the abandoned government projects in the state as campaign fodder.

“How is Kelantan better than Negri Sembilan? We have brought a lot of development to the state,” Isa told reporters when met at a campaign stop.

He also denied PAS’s allegation that Umno is harping on Zulkefly Omar’s background as the PR candidate is not a local from the constituency.

“We have never played up the issue of local candidate or outsider. PAS failed to field a local candidate so they try to divert the people’s attention and to hide their weaknesses,” said Isa.

The former Umno vice-president however admitted that he was not born in the state.

“My family is from here, I was only born in Malacca but I was raised here, people know me as a local,” said Isa.

At a media briefing earlier, Salahuddin pointed out that the man considered by many to be Port Dickson’s favourite son was actually from Malacca.

“PAS had promised before not to touch on personal issues, but once campaigning started they only use personal isues,” said Isa.

“They are very good at spinning,” he added.

Isa also denied that he is not in good terms with the Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan.

“We never had the time to fight. When he became the MB, I was a minister only for a short while before I was suspended,” he said.

Isa resigned from his Cabinet post soon after his Umno membership was suspended in June 2005.

“It is not that hard to be a wakil rakyat, I have been doing this for 30 years. I have not been a wakil rakyat only since March 2008,” said Isa who was Jempol MP until last year.