BN sees opportunity in urban fringe

Malaysian Premier Najib Razak's daughter, Ms Nooryana Najwa (left), and her brother, Mr Nor Ashman (centre), sharing a light moment yesterday with party supporters as their father campaigned ahead of the GE in Selayang. BN has not bothered with densely urban areas, which are hardcore opposition areas, but is aiming to hold on to its rural seats while trying to snatch PR's seats on the fringe of urban areas. 

Carolyn Hong, ST

WHEN Mr Ng Suee Lim campaigns in the small town of Sekinchan in Selangor's farming belt, he carries a giant replica of a ballot paper with an "X" next to his name and the rocket symbol.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) candidate is taking no chances as he defends the opposition's sole seat in this coastal farming and fishing belt. His majority last time was a wafer-thin 190 votes.

"People here want to see you face to face, and we need to build relationships day by day," said Mr Ng, who speaks Javanese, having grown up in a village of Malays of Javanese descent.

His campaign is literally going from house to house, in between phone calls to the local council to get street lights repaired in response to residents' complaints. It is a far cry from urban campaigns, which rely on mass rallies and the Internet.

This is the main reason the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has found it hard to make inroads into the rural areas, even in Selangor, Malaysia's most urbanised and industrialised state.

Other than Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), the opposition does not have a grassroots network to rival the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), which has built up its ground since the 1950s.

This has helped it maintain an iron grip over its rural base.

In 2008, the PR surprised everyone by winning Selangor, taking 36 of 56 state seats, though one later turned independent.

Save for Mr Ng's seat, PR seats are in a tight urban swathe near Kuala Lumpur.

The densely urban areas may stay with the PR. Since last Saturday, when the campaign kicked off, urban opposition rallies have drawn the crowds. Mr Tony Pua, the DAP candidate for Petaling Jaya North, said they collected donations of RM45,000 (S$18,300) on the first night alone.

The BN has not bothered with these hardcore opposition areas but is aiming to hold on to its rural seats while trying to snatch PR's seats on the fringe of urban areas.

Mr Subahan Kamal, BN candidate for Templer, which sits on the outskirts, believes the BN can do better in such areas.

"We have promised welfare payments for the disabled, elderly, single mothers, and also aid for students. We are going to build 15,000 affordable houses," he said.

"These are our strengths that the people will see."

Prime Minister Najib Razak spent a full day here yesterday, whizzing through 16 stops on the outskirts to woo voters.

For now, neither side has an overwhelming advantage. The BN has been marred by corruption, with its former Menteri Besar convicted of fraud. But the PR has been sullied by internal quarrels between Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's right-hand man, Mr Azmin Ali.

One swing seat may be Ijok, an oil palm area which is seen to be in play because of reported neglect by the state government. Indeed, Mr Khalid has left it for the urban Port Klang seat.

The BN's advantage is a close-knit, risk-averse, rural Malay electorate.

Sitting at a food stall decorated with flapping party flags at the edge of a padi field, farmer Ismail Harun, 41, said life was hard but he dared not take the risk.

"I do not dare to go for change as we do not know what we will get with other people ruling us," said Mr Ismail, who lives in the village of Simpang Lima, about 130km from Kuala Lumpur.

PR leader Anwar was in the area yesterday trying to convince voters that they had nothing to fear. He spoke of an anonymous leaflet circulating which said that if the PR won federal power, Islam would no longer be the official religion of the country and the monarchy would be abolished.

"Do they think people are stupid?" he asked, speaking from a mobile stage at a commercial area in Kuala Selangor.

"I am a Malay. Do you think that I would want to get rid of the King and Islam?"

Dr Aziz Bari, a former International Islamic University law professor, said the PR may improve in some rural areas this time because it is fielding more local candidates.

Dr Aziz himself is competing in the farming area of Sabak Bernam, his hometown.

"I grew up here, I have friends and family here," said the former professor, who now lives in a wooden house in the village of Tebuk Pulai.

"It's not impossible."

A foreman, 25, who wanted to be called Ah Lun, said he registered as a voter six months ago because he wanted change. Mr Mohd Desa Ramli, 51, a farmer, also said he believed people wanted change.