GE15: Penang Pakatan the Brazil of politics in tomorrow’s polls

GEORGE TOWN – If one compares the 15th general election to the upcoming World Cup, then Pakatan Harapan in Penang would likely be regarded as the Brazil of politics, while Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional could be associated with the likes of Costa Rica or Saudi Arabia.

While upsets are inevitable in any World Cup, PH remains the overwhelming favourite to retain their parliamentary cup in Penang.

The score forecasted by pundits is PH with 11 seats, and the others with two, or PH with 10 and the rest getting three, with leading state party DAP retaining seven parliamentary seats and PKR contributing the rest.

However, the candidates are not taking anything for granted, and in Balik Pulau and Bayan Baru, Datuk Muhammed Bakhtiar Wan Chik and Sim Tze Tzin have their hands full dealing with their respective six-cornered fights.

A contributing factor to a sure PH victory is the lack of strong candidates from both BN and PN, except for MCA, which has some talented female candidates.

Voters are also unhappy with how BN and PN conducted their campaigns, as they highlighted race and religion too much, said a researcher with a think tank here. 

“A multiethnic party like Gerakan was formed in Penang. This is the last state to use race and religion, unless there are sinister motives,” he said.

The researcher, who declined to be named, said the people are put off by PN and BN’s campaigns, which tend to sway towards race and religion when voters want solutions to the bread-and-butter issues they face.

“Yes, both BN and PN raised important issues as well, but they failed to realise that in the internet age, what someone says in Johor can impact how voters think in Penang, just via shared and forwarded videos and texts,” said the researcher.

PKR official Mohd Yusmadi Yusoff said despite the uphill battles in Balik Pulau, Bayan Baru, and Nibong Tebal, last-minute canvassing for votes may sway fence sitters, although in Penang, the majority of the 1.215 million registered voters have made up their minds.

He said he is optimistic Balik Pulau incumbent Bakhtiar will pull through even though the dominant voting bloc is Malay.

Sim also has a battle on his hands due to the refreshing campaign waged by BN candidate Saw Yee Fung, who is racking up numbers on social media, especially when she reached out to disabled voters using sign language on a TikTok.

In a campaign devoid of major issues, campaigners raised age-old issues from reclamation fears to the creation of quality jobs, maintenance of amenities, worsening traffic, and national issues of inflation to political stability and Malay rights.

Crowd numbers were also moderate compared with the huge numbers in 2018. Political scientists such as Sivamurugan Pandian believe this is because many voters have made up their minds or political fatigue is setting in.

Gerakan vice-president Datuk Baljit Singh said that voters have reached the stage where they assess candidates more on their individual capabilities rather than the parties or coalitions they represent.

Gerakan, once a powerhouse in Penang, continues to struggle, though the majority of its candidates from party deputy president Oh Tong Keong to H’ng Khoon Leng gave good accounts of themselves.

And in Penang, it remains to be seen if voters subscribe to the check-and-balance principle of allowing fair opposition representation.

DAP remains strong here with its chairman Lim Guan Eng and vice-president Chow Kon Yeow, who is the Penang chief minister, leading the charge.

Chow and Syerleena Abdul Rashid may have some tough terrain to undergo in their respective parliament seats of Batu Kawan and Bukit Bendera respectively, but they are hoping to pull through with the help of the state assemblymen active here.

PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, who camped out in Bukit Mertajam for the past three weeks, is expected to retain her Permatang Pauh seat.

The Election Commission (EC) has confirmed that a total 58 candidates, including six independents, will contest the 13 parliamentary seats in the state.

Based on the nominations for parliamentary seats in Penang, there will be six-cornered fights in Jelutong, Bayan Baru, and Balik Pulau; five-way battles in Tasek Gelugor, Batu Kawan, and Bukit Bendera; four-cornered fights in Kepala Batas, Bagan, Permatang Pauh, and Nibong Tebal; and three-way tussles in Bukit Mertajam, Tanjong and Bukit Gelugor.

BN is expected to retain its Kepala Batas seat through caretaker housing and local government minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, while the seats to watch are Tasek Gelugor where PN's Datuk Seri Wan Saiful Wan Jan is involved in a close fight with BN's state opposition leader Datuk Muhammed Yusoff Mohd Noor.

Despite suffering from Covid-19 days before nomination, Chow went on a tough campaign and declared that change will come no matter how long the struggle is.

He is of course hopeful that the real change will definitely surface on November 19 despite fears of rain and strong winds here - The Vibes, November 18, 2022