Pelangai’s voters had also rejected the Perikatan Nasional campaign which revolved around defamation and playing up 3R issues on race, religion and royalty, thus preventing a ‘green wave’ in the state, he said.

He said voters may have been confused by BN’s cooperation with PH in the early days of the unity government but have started to see the effectiveness of the alliance, he said.

“In the long-term, I am always confident that the voters will see the facts and politics of the service we offer, what we can give them and they now enjoy that touch, that is why today they chose BN again to continue to bring development to them.

“This acceptance can also be clearly seen especially in the two polling districts with a non-Malay majority where they voted for BN,” he said.

At the Pelangai by-election today, BN candidate Amizar Abu Adam won with a majority of 2,949 votes. He obtained 7,324 votes to defeat PN candidate Kasim Samat (4,375) and independent candidate Haslihelmy DM Zulhasni (47).

Wan Rosdy, who is an Umno vice-president, said BN would carry this  momentum to the Kemaman parliamentary by-election, which was called after the election court nullified the victory of PAS candidate Che Alias Hamid in the general election last year.