KEPALA BATAS – The interstate rivalry started by PAS elections director Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor may undermine the prospects of three Kedah-born incumbents defending their seats in their adopted state of Penang.
Campaign insiders said that with around four days left of active physical campaigning, three out of the 18 incumbents in Penang stand the risk of losing their seats.
The three have been identified as former state opposition backbencher leader Khaliq Mehtab Ishaq (Bertam), Yusni Mat Piah (Penaga), and Faiz Fadzil (Permatang Pasir).
All three were born in Kedah; Khaliq and Faiz are both aspiring lawyers in Alor Star and cleric Yusni hails from a family who were victims in the Baling riots of the 1980s.
Political analyst Asman Yusoff said that in a close fight for Malay heartland seats in Penang, the local voters may not be amenable any longer to accepting those from Kedah simply because Sanusi has been touting that Penang belongs to his state.
“In other words, the three are not local-born leaders so they may not understand Penang’s culture, but I think the three will not easily give up. They will count on their incumbency to give them an edge. These next 72 hours are crucial.”
Historically, Sanusi may be right, but Penang has been a sovereign state on her own accord since the Federation of Malaya’s states were formed in the 1957 declaration of independence.
“Even the founding father of Malaysia – Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj, a Kedah prince – chose to spend his retirement in Penang,” said Asman in an interview.
The green wave is alive in Penang, and very much entrenched in the Malay-dominant constituencies where up to 15 state seats are facing stiff challenges, said Asman.
Khaliq is up against former minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, a technocrat; Faiz against local businessman Amir Hamzah Abdul Hashim, and Yusni faces Naim Salleh in a battle of ulama.
Penang Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman and caretaker chief minister Chow Kon Yeow is comfortable with clinching between 30 and 32 seats, although he wants to replicate the sweeping margin of 38 seats in the last state election.
Earlier, PKR candidate Goh Choon Aik for Bukit Tambun declared that the unity coalition has secured 26 out of the 40 seats, but there are worries due to the lukewarm response encountered by his allies DAP, Umno, and Amanah during campaigning.
In the 2018 election, PH won 38 out of the 40 state seats, before it was revised to 35 when three PH ally-elected representatives, including Khaliq, defected to opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN).
PN is eying up to 20 seats in Penang, but to accomplish this, it needs to win in the mixed and Chinese-majority constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Seberang Jaya state seat is shaping up to be an interesting battle.
It pits young PN candidate Izar Shah Arif Shah, the eldest son of the former three-term Seberang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Arif Shah, against PKR veteran Johari Kassim, who is attempting a comeback.
Izar Shah has been wooing the electorate in Seberang Jaya with his Mandarin and a trendy campaign among the young, forcing Johari into defensive mode.
If Izar Shah wins Seberang Jaya, it means that Permatang Pauh may entirely be dominated by PN.
Faiz is struggling against Amir Hamzah while in Penanti, PH newcomer Rohsidi Hussin is also facing an uphill task against Zulkefli Bakar from PN, a former comrade in PKR.
Permatang Pauh MP Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan is from PAS, being the state party youth head.
The constituency used to be the stronghold of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who held it before his wife Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Wan Azizah also defended it, and their daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar was a one-term parliamentarian there before she lost it to Fawwaz in last year’s general election in November. – The Vibes, August 9, 2023
