GEORGE TOWN – Penang will see quite a few politicians over the weekend as many of them are attending Hari Raya Aidilfitri events while looking to sharpen their political appeal.
Among the first to arrive is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is making his first visit to the Pearl of the Orient since assuming office last August.
Ismail Sabri is scheduled to arrive late today and will be officiating the World Firefighters Day celebration tomorrow at Dewan Millenium in Kepala Batas, the former parliamentary constituency of Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia’s fifth prime minister.
But before that, his predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will have a busy day attending the Bersatu and Gerakan Hari Raya Aidilfitri open houses.
Gerakan is expected to lead the Perikatan Nasional coalition in the next general election in Penang where the party is expected to contest at least 20 out of the 45 state seats available, said a party veteran, who did not want to be named.
Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin would be attending the Penang RTM Hari Raya open house later today with several political observers seeing it as a possible signal that Zahidi is relocating to Penang.
Currently, Zahidi is the Padang Besar MP and an Umno Supreme Council member, but he was born and partially raised in Penang before relocating to Perlis with his family.
His relocation here is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the party, as Zahidi has relatives and support among his peers here.
His wife is a teacher in Penang, and the outspoken deputy minister is often here.
He helped set up an alternative party – the Penang Front Party, which contested in the last election but lost all of its deposits.
Zahidi can relocate to help Umno consolidate in Penang in view of the party not having many national calibre leaders in its fold currently, said observers.
Umno used to be more prominent in Penang when opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was leading its efforts as the then deputy party president and deputy prime minister.
Muhyiddin, meanwhile, is expected to explore some form of collaboration with other parties in Penang in anticipation of a snap election later this year.
Penang Warisan coordinator Jeff Ooi Chuan Aun said that the party also has a series of meetings with its vice-president Datuk Junz Wong today to study the possibility of contesting several seats in the state.
“But we have to be mindful that the DAP-led state government may not go along with Ismail Sabri’s move to dissolve Parliament and call for fresh national elections. Penang may not go along like other states under the opposition.”
Currently, the PAS-led governments in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu have indicated they will also not follow Ismail Sabri’s expected move, while the Penang, Negri Sembilan and Selangor governments under Pakatan Harapan (PH) have also decided likewise.
Ooi said that contrary to popular belief, the elections in Penang will be more intense in view of the perceived weaknesses in PH.
There is uneasiness in DAP over the direction of PH and there is an erosion of support for PKR following the betrayal of the party by several top leaders.
Ooi said that any party would eye Penang in view of its strategic position as the northern region’s economic hub.
Penang PKR leaders are also hosting open houses here with state party chairman Datuk Muhammed Bakhtiar Wan Chik having his tomorrow. – The Vibes, May 21, 2022
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