POOR ZAMBRY! Perak BN banking on the 'Najib' factor

THE clock on the smartphone showed a few minutes before noon. An entourage of Proton Perdanas, led by traffic policemen on motorcycles, with their sirens blaring, passed me as I made my way to the Tow Boh Keong Temple in Jalan Tokong here.

"Itu (That is) Dr Mahathir (former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad)", was the first thing I overheard when I reached the entrance of the temple.

Despite the scorching heat, the temple grounds were filled to the brim with tables and chairs, leaving hardly any space for a comfortable walk to the main stage.

More than 5,000 people, mainly the Chinese community from various temple organisations and associations statewide, were present for a luncheon with the statesman and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali.

The crowd warmed up to the couple and the large screen on stage showed hundreds of people queuing up with their mobile phones to have their pictures taken with both Tuns.

When the guests of honour, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, arrived about 20 minutes later, the excitement grew.

It took the VIPs some time to reach the main table after shaking hands with the long line of eager people.

According to some, the luncheon on Tuesday was the single largest gathering of the Chinese community to show their support for Barisan Nasional, for as long as they could recall after the 2008 general election.

"It has been a long time since we have seen such a huge turnout by the Chinese community, especially at a gathering which publicly proclaims its support for BN," one of them claimed.

As Datuk Yeoh Kian Teik, whose daughter is international artiste Datuk Seri Michelle Yeoh said, Najib deserved all the support he could get in this election.

"We are here to show our support for you, prime minister, and BN. On behalf of all present here, we wish you every success, and hope BN will form the government with a bigger majority," he said.

He ended his short speech by asking if the crowd supported Najib, to which they gave a resounding "yes".

In his four years as the premier, Najib had visited Perak 32 times, with 12 of them last year alone.

Even Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir had endeared himself to the community in the last four years of his administration.

Are the Perak Chinese finally warming up to BN after giving it the cold shoulder in the last election?

A recent survey has shown that the Chinese support for BN in the state now stood at 30 to 35 per cent. However, BN is wary of the figure.

Political analyst Dr P. Sivamurugan says there is a possibility of some swing because of the "Najib" factor. "But whether that will be enough... is left to be seen."

As Najib clearly indicated, he needed support from the Chinese voters to ensure a stronger government, with a solid mandate, to do better in future.

Malays and Indians have returned in droves to BN since the 2008 elections.

Perak BN is certainly banking on the "Najib" factor to translate the huge turnout into votes.

That, coupled with a strong machinery and winnable candidates, may help BN to overcome the previous sentiments.

The recent announcement by DAP adviser and former Ipoh Timur member of parliament, Lim Kit Siang, about contesting in Gelang Patah, Johor also showed he had no confidence in his own turf, a Chinese-majority seat which he had held for two terms.

His voters, when met recently, had expressed their disappointment with Lim.

Businessman A.M. Tham, for example, has made it his life mission to advise friends and relatives against voting for DAP. He believes that the country would be doomed if led by a leader such as Lim.

Sharing Tham's sentiment is Tebing Tinggi resident Mohd Ramli Mohd, 61, who said Lim did not even bother to visit the three Malay villages under Tebing Tinggi when campaigning in the 2004 and 2008 general elections, but concentrated only on Chinese areas.

Yet another Ipoh Timur resident, M.O. Fong, 40, said voters felt betrayed by Lim. They felt they were used as a stepping stone.

Even former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, in a recent interview, had urged the Chinese to put aside their sentiment to punish BN in the elections and vote rationally.

Daim believed that the Chinese would make the right choice by voting for BN.

More than 1.4 million Perakians will cast their votes on polling day. The Chinese voters make up about 37 per cent of the electorate.

Will the Chinese in the silver state set aside their sentiments and make the right choice this time?

Or will they continue to punish BN, for whatever reasons only known to them?

The outcome will be known on May 5.

- New Straits Times