GEORGE TOWN – Penang may see up to five new political parties and three blocs contesting in the country’s second-smallest state in the next general election, where 40 state and 13 parliamentary seats are up for grabs.
It was made known that Sabah-based party Warisan, youth-based party Muda, and the newly launched Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) have indicated an interest in running in Penang.
Following the 2018 general election and the subsequently stunning “Sheraton Move” last year, the 40-seat state assembly currently has 33 Pakatan Harapan (PH) representatives and seven seats under the Perikatan Nasional (PN)/Barisan Nasional (BN) opposition.
From the 13 parliamentary seats, 10 belong to PH and three are with PN/BN.
Penang has arguably become one of the states to monitor, seeing that the once-dominant DAP-led Pakatan administration has come under siege, with PN and BN eyeing the spoils of war.
At the same time, they have new challengers from Warisan, PBM, and Muda eyeing seats that may have strong numbers of disgruntled voters.
There is renewed optimism for change in Penang, as DAP is besieged by its inability to untangle itself from the political uncertainties of PH – owing to PKR’s perceived drop in support – amidst an erosion of support in the Malay heartlands.
Universiti Sains Malaysia political scientist Prof Sivamurugan Pandian told The Vibes that it is possible for new parties to consider Penang as a testing ground, seeing that the state is often more receptive to newcomers trying their luck due to the political maturity in the state.
The voters here have often advocated a system of checks and balances since the 1960s.
Penang was also home to parties such as Gerakan.
At the same time, constituents were also accepting of DAP candidates who were previously from other states, Sivamurugan noted.
It is looking to be a crowded field in Penang for the next election.
“And what happened in Sarawak and Melaka, where there were more than three-cornered fights, may ensue here. Whoever can hold their own would emerge victorious,” said Sivamurugan.
He sees Warisan contesting in Penang as a possibility – as there are over 100,000 Sabahans who have resettled in the state, owing to new job opportunities.
‘Leadership issues’
Sivamurugan predicted that Penang will be one of the hottest states to watch in the next election.
Former Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Wong Mun Hoe, who was once state Gerakan election campaign director, said that the party may see its effort to recapture its home state of Penang made difficult if more rivals decide to turn the small state into a battleground.
“But it is something we cannot deny, as we also have our leadership issues. The party who has the best alliance and strategic campaign may win,” said Wong.
Friends may become foes and foes may end up as friends if there is no single convincingly strong bloc to overwhelm others in the next election, he said in an interview.
Speculations have surfaced that Warisan may look to recruit former state Gerakan leaders to join in the fight against PH in Penang.
For now, former Penang Gerakan chairman Teng Chang Yeow reiterated that he has retired and has no intentions of joining any party.
The same applied to former state Gerakan Youth head Jason Loo, who said that he was previously speculated to join MCA and now Warisan.
No one has approached him over the matter, but Loo is keeping an open mind.
PBM is said to be enticing former PKR elected representatives, who were dropped as candidates by the latter during the last election.
Among those who may be eyeing a comeback are Ong Chin Wen and Cheah Kah Peng. – The Vibes, December 27, 2021
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