Now the force is with BN

The tide has changed direction and is now flowing with – and not against – the Barisan Nasional.

KUCHING: Something happened along the way. The opposition advances were abruptly pushed back as the Barisan Nasional (BN) forces regrouped and counter-attacked.

The BN has changed its tactic and is now shoring up its defences around the Malay-Dayak majority seats. Although it is not putting up much of a struggle for the Chinese-majority seats, the Chinese voters are also having second thoughts about giving all the seats to the DAP.

Hopefully, the change of strategy may stop the Pakatan Rakyat from capturing seats in the Malay-Dayak heartland considered the bastion of the ruling BN. In the last few days, the Pakatan army has made considerable progress in chipping away the walls around the heartland. It came to a stage where observers feel the BN has a 50-50 chance of keeping its grip on the vast Malay-Dayak fortress.

The opposition, especially the DAP, has been pounding the BN in the 15 Chinese urban areas and initial battlefield reports indicated the defences are softening up. Emboldened by their rapid progress, the opposition is even making inroads into the Malay-Dayak territory, thus presenting a grave threat to the BN.

Realising the growing danger, observers believe BN went back to the drawing board and drew up a new fighting strategy to halt the march of the Pakatan horde.

With only days to go before polling on Saturday, the state BN is putting up a stout defence of the Malay-Dayak heartland and its hard work is showing positive results – the Malays and the Dayaks are inching up closer to the BN.

Najib ‘pull’ factor

Although resentment against Chief Minister Taib Mahmud is still running high, the Chinese community recognised the need for a representative in the state cabinet after the election.

They acknowledged that without a Chinese minister in the cabinet, they will not be able to channel their grievances and problems to the government.

A Chinese voter said going by this argument – that a Chinese representative must be in the state cabinet – the DAP may not end up winning all the 15 Chinse-majority seats.

“We understand the need for a representative in the cabinet and so I feel the Chinese voters may not give all the seats to the DAP,” said the voter who wanted to remain anonymous.

Then there is the Najib “pull” factor. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has rejuvenated the BN team with his tireless visits and walkabouts. His charisma and strong personality are attracting rural voters who see him as a leader who could be trusted to make changes in the state leadership.

Najib, as some rural voters said, knows how to “talk” to them – and make them feel important.

In short, there is growing acceptance of Najib, which is bad news for the Pakatan allies.

The two issues – a Chinese representative in the state cabinet and Najib’s guarantee that Taib will go – have tipped the scale in favour of the BN. Observers say the state BN will retain its two-thirds majority while losing eight seats or slightly more to the opposition.