KUALA LUMPUR – Barisan Nasional (BN) has intensified its preparations for the 15th general election (GE15), with a keen eye on dominating seats in all three Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan.
With the coalition’s election machinery having largely been put on standby, the focus now falls on seat deliberations, especially in Kuala Lumpur, with MCA and Umno possibly being at loggerheads again over several key constituencies in the capital city.
There are also seats that are being vied for by former contenders despite their own capability to win being deeply in doubt due to poor performances in previous elections.
According to coalition insiders, the key parliamentary seats include Lembah Pantai, Setiawanga, Titiwangsa, Wangsa Maju, Batu and Bandar Tun Razak.
The focus on these seats was among the issues deliberated on during a BN election briefing chaired by deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan yesterday, according to several sources familiar with the matter.
Among them is Wangsa Maju, which was contested by MCA’s Datuk Seri Yew Teong Look in the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018. Yew only managed to garner 17,940 votes compared to Datin Tan Yee Kew of PKR who surmounted 42,178 votes, leading to a 24,238-vote majority win.
Yew was reportedly at loggerheads with Wangsa Maju Umno division chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shafei Abdullah, who was touted to contest the seat in GE14.
However, it was rumoured that Yew was chosen instead of Shafei due to the latter's performance in GE13 in 2013, when he had lost to PKR’s Tan Kee Kwong who garnered a 5,511-vote majority.
Wangsa Maju is often branded as an MCA traditional seat and is the home of Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, an institution funded by the party.
“For Wangsa Maju, Shafei is adamant to contest the seat again, while MCA is looking to win the seat back,” claimed a BN insider.
“It will be a doozy for Datuk Jo to mediate this but I’m sure he will find a solution,” the person added, referring to Federal Territories Umno chief Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani.
Another interesting seat is Bandar Tun Razak where Umno’s Adnan Seman (21,196 votes) had previously lost to Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar (19,930), who contested under the PKR banner in 2018.
However, MCA is looking forward to the seat being “returned” to the party after it had given way to Umno in GE14.
Bandar Tun Razak is considered MCA’s traditional seat. However, Umno is keen on leveraging on the predominantly Malay seat as the community represents over 60% of voters there.
For Batu, a traditional seat contested under BN’s previous component party Gerakan, deliberations are being made within the coalition on who best to lead the charge and contest in this mixed seat.
Gerakan is now in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, which is considering fielding Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau Hoe Chai to contest the seat again with support from PAS, a fellow component.
In GE14, Lau had managed to gain 13,687 votes here, while PAS’ Azhar Yahya garnered 10,610. However, both lost to independent P. Prabakaran who won with a 24,438-vote majority. Prabakaran would later join PKR.
Raja Nong Chik trying his luck again?
Perhaps the most dramatic clash may take place in Lembah Pantai, often said to be a key battleground, at least in the previous three general elections.
In 2008 and 2013, PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar respectively defeated BN’s Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil and Datuk Seri Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, dubbing her a giant slayer who defeated two cabinet ministers.
Raja Nong Chik was again defeated by PKR’s Fahmi Fadzil for the same seat in GE14. Fahmi managed to garner a 5,598-vote majority win.
Coalition insiders have now indicated that Raja Nong Chik aims to contest the seat again, despite his unsuccessful campaigns before.
Umno’s Lembah Pantai division chief Datuk Ramlan Askolani is reportedly overshadowed by Raja Nong Chik’s groundwork and relegated to official party functions, according to party sources.
This is among the many reasons why newly minted Selangor BN treasurer Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, who is the current finance minister, needs to seek another parliamentary seat to contest despite being a registered member under the Lembah Pantai chapter.
Incidentally, Tengku Zafrul is Raja Nong Chik’s nephew.
“Originally he (Tengku Zafrul) thought he would have a soft landing if he were to contest here. But it turns out there were indications that Raja Nong Chik wanted to contest again.
“If it is true, then it would be awkward for him to go against his uncle, isn’t it?”' said the source.
Internal dissension in Titiwangsa still alive
For Titiwangsa, former deputy finance minister and controversial Umno leader Johari is set to contest again according to coalition sources.
In GE14, Johari lost to Bersatu’s Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun who garnered a 4,139-vote majority. However, the loss was mainly attributed to sentiments against Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s scandal-ridden administration.
In 2013, Johari had won the seat with an 866-vote majority.
In GE14, Johari suffered a bout of internal sabotage where several banners festooned along major roads in his constituency denounced his leadership of the Titiwangsa Umno chapter as well as allegations of not being an approachable parliamentarian.
Johari faces several stumbling blocks as it is believed that the same internal forces who are deemed against him still remain in the party.
For Setiawangsa, the seat remains a tall order for BN to recapture despite being a predominant Malay seat where over 60% of voters are Malays.
It is learned that local BN chief Datuk Seri Izudin Ishak could stand here as Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique looks more interested to return to the corporate sector.
In GE14, Zulhasnan had lost to PKR’s Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who garnered a 14,372-vote majority.
Despite often being active on the ground, Izudin’s winnability remains in question as he faces a tall order in facing Nik Nazmi in the coming GE15, according to political sources. – The Vibes, August 6, 2022
