Despite the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal involving family members of former minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin said it will have no effect on his aim to reclaim Lembah Pantai for the BN.
"Shahrizat's scandal has nothing to do with me. It is important that we work hard.
"Voters should not be influenced by any scandal.
"They should focus on what (I) have done," the senator told reporters this morning after distributing oranges in Taman Lucky, one of Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency's residential areas.
Nong Chik ( left) praised Shahrizat for making significant contributions to the constituents during her three-term tenure as their MP before she was felled by PKR's Nurul Izzah Anwar in the 2008 general election.
Although it has not been officially announced, Raja Nong Chik is being seen as the BN candidate to wrest back the urban seat from PKR.
Nurul Izzah, who is also PKR vice-president, sprang a surprise in 2008 by burying Shahrizat, a federal minister then, with a majority of 2895 votes.
Helped up but falls again
Shahrizat ( right ) was later appointed as senator and minister of women, family and community development.
However, her service in the cabinet was discontinued after her husband Mohamad Salleh Ismail was exposed by PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli as abusing government funds allocated to NFC, a company owned by the husband.
Mohamad Salleh was charged with criminal breach of trust and violating the Companies Act 1965, but Shahrizat insisted that she was neither aware of nor involved in the NFC.
The hearing continues.
Meanwhile, Raja Nong Chik also criticised Nurul Izzah, saying she only knew how "to criticise" and challenged her to resolve the voters' livelihood problems.
For example, Raja Nong Chik said he had managed to find people to repaint local apartments.
Asked whether he fears facing Nurul Izzah Anwar in the coming election, the Lembah Pantai Umno chief brushed aside the question.
"Whoever Nurul Izzah ( left ) or Anwar Ibrahim, I am not worried!" he laughed, adding that the BN machinery is ready for the polls.
However, the 60-year-old politician refused to estimate the votes he expected garner.
On Sunday, it was observed that some 300 parents gave a less than enthusiastic response to Raja Nong Chik's call to the parents vote for the BN at a student excellence awards event .
That had raised the question of whether the BN could regain Lembah Pantai, which had fallen to PKR veep Nurul Izzah in the 2008 election.
Meanwhile, Raja Nong Chik said he had prepared 900 boxes of oranges for distribution at today's event.
Only a handful of voters greeted Raja Nong Chik with the "Long live BN!" cry when receiving the oranges.