PETALING JAYA – The Pelangai by-election will see a close fight between Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional-Pakatan Harapan, but BN still has the upper hand, say political analysts.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Prof Azmi Hassan said close to 60% of voters favour BN, but PN is still trying very hard to win them over.
He said BN will retain the seat but with a reduced majority but this time, as BN is working with PH, it will be able to get the support of the non-Malay voters.
These voters number between 3,000 to 4,000 and play a crucial role in this by-election.
“Although BN won by a big majority in the last election, going into this by-election, they need to convince the people of Pelangai that voting for BN and staying with the unity government is to their advantage.
The perception that needs to be given out is that Umno is in control of the state although it is working with PH.”
He said it is vital for BN to win the seat by showing that they, Umno, are in control although they are partners with PH.
Azmi said the opposition has played up bread-and-butter issues such as rice, which is vital to all segments of society.
He said Umno has to go to the ground and explain to the voters of Pelangai why the shortage of rice has been made an issue and assure them that it can be solved in a month.
He said the rising cost of living is an issue, which the state government alone cannot handle.
Federal ministers have been going down to Pelangai to explain the matter and what is being done to tackle the problem.
‘No surefire way to seal victory’
Universiti Malaya political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi said no amount or particular method of campaigning will guarantee victory in Pelangai.
He said people might assume that since there has been a lack of ceramah by PN, they have given up on the seat.
He said this is far from the truth, as Pelangai is a small constituency.
PN has decided to go house to house to campaign…voters feel honoured that an election candidate visits their home to win them over.
“BN is well aware of the techniques being used by PN, and it is applying a dual strategy to win the voters. It is using ceramah and house visits to garner support.”
He said in this day and age, no singular campaigning style will work; it must be a mixed approach if a candidate wants the support of voters.
Awang Azman said that while BN has been very successful in countering PN’s narrative, more still needs to be done to ensure BN wins the Pelangai by-election.
He said BN has been “carpet bombing” voters with its narrative to counter any inroads made by PN.
PN has also been attacking Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim because they are afraid of him.
“They are using their attacks as a platform to get noticed and garner voters’ support.”
Awang Azman said though PN has not been able to make major inroads, the coalition will give BN a tough fight.
The Pelangai by-election was called after the late incumbent Datuk Seri Johari Harun was killed in a plane crash at the Elmina township on August 17.
He was among 10 victims who perished in the incident, including two road users who were passing by, when the aircraft nosedived into the road.
Voting for the Pelangai by-election will take place on October 7 and will see a three-cornered clash between BN’s Datuk Amizar Abu Adam, PN candidate Kasim Samat and Independent Haslihelmy DM Zulhasni.
A total 16,456 voters are eligible to fulfil their responsibility in the by-election, including 36 policemen and three overseas absent voters. – The Vibes, October 3, 2023
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