MELAKA – Throughout the campaigning period for the coming Melaka election, the lack of PAS flags is almost an unusual, even outlandish sight.
Rather than hoisting green flags with white “full moons” that are synonymous with the Islamist party, villagers and party supporters have been putting up Perikatan Nasional (PN) flags instead.
Several party leaders and candidates The Vibes spoke with see it as an advantage to contest under the PN banner, with some expressing confidence on winning state seats.
However, the sentiments on the ground from party machinery and grassroots tell a completely different story.
To them, they face grave challenges in educating the party’s supporters as they are so used to the green and white colours of the PAS flag.
Speaking to The Vibes, Muhammad Tarmizi Abd Malik said it is not a walk in the park to remind voters – especially the older generation – of the flag that bears the words “PERIKATAN NASIONAL” in white on a navy blue background.
“There are many who do not know that PAS is contesting under the PN logo. I must admit that it is difficult to educate villagers, especially those who are older,” said Tarmizi, who is a villager in Pasir Gembur, Tg Bidara.
“We can’t just keep harping on them, but what we do is to tell them to vote for PN, which stands for ‘Pilih Ni’ (pick this).
“If you see BN, it means ‘Bukan Ni’ (not this), so don’t vote for it,” he told The Vibes in jest.
Tarmizi said this is not the first time that PAS has contested in the country’s democratic process without using its own logo.
It is understood that the first time the Islamic party did so was during the fourth general election (GE4) in 1974, when it flew the Barisan Nasional (BN) flag.
Klebang PAS election machinery director Md Isa Jantan also shares the same woes as Tarmizi.
In efforts to familiarise his fellow Bukit Rambai villagers, Isa said his team has been donning on clothes and vests with the PN logo.
“In this matter, it is the role of the members. As we know, the PN logo is rarely seen before this right? But I don’t see it as a big problem.
“When we campaign and meet the people, we introduce PN to them by wearing clothes with the PN logo. That is how we expose them.
“We are just concerned that there will be confusion among PAS supporters. After all, only the logo that has been agreed upon by the coalition can be used,” he said.
Meanwhile, PAS’ Tangga Batu committee chief Zahar Yunus said his team is relying heavily on social media platforms to reach out to the party’s supporters.
“Since we can’t conduct physical campaigning, we do it virtually on WhatsApp and Facebook.
“Aside from that, every family needs to play their part. Like my family, I am a PAS supporter.
“But since we are contesting under PN this time, I need to explain (this) to my family and friends,” Zahar said.
When meeting the elderly, he said they will refrain from saying ‘BN’ or ‘PN’ as those two acronyms sound similar and could potentially puzzle voters further.
“When we meet the ‘mak cik’ and ‘pak cik’ at coffee shops, we have to emphasise on the ‘Perikatan Nasional’ name, not PN.
“This is because PN sounds like BN, and that’s familiar. They could get confused. So, we promote Perikatan Nasional,” he added.
For the record, PAS has been entrusted by PN to contest in eight of the 28 seats up for grabs in the Melaka polls.
Similarly, during GE14, DAP faced the same problem when it had to drop its familiar “rocket” logo to contest under PKR’s flag.
The party was in chaos upon realising the possibility that its supporters may not vote for the party under the “eye” symbol.
The Melaka election is held following the dissolution of the state assembly on October 4, after four assemblymen withdrew support for former chief minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali of Umno.
The Election Commission has fixed November 20 for voting, with early voting on November 16. Nominations were held last Monday. – The Vibes, November 13, 2021
