In Teluk Intan, DYANA MANIA spreads even to Umno members there

Two by-elections. One cold, one hot.

Let's start with Bukit Gelugor. DAP's Ramkarpal Singh Deo is the indisputable frontrunner in the race, so much so that even MCA had to back off. His challengers: Parti Cinta Malaysia vice president Huan Cheng Guan, a lawyer called Abu Backer and another guy, said to be a retiree by the name of Mohd Nabi Bux.

Call them daredevils or anything, no one with a sensible mind would believe any of these challengers could win.

Without a question, this is going to be an unexciting election war. During last year's general elections, the late Karpal Singh thumped his opponent by an overwhelming majority in excess of 40,000 votes. So, any challenger to his son will only end up being beaten just as hard. Little wonder that Huan had to visit a temple to offer his prayers on the nomination day, not asking for a landslide victory but the ability to retain his deposit.

Ramkarpal Singh Deo

And since he is destined to fail, why the trouble of contesting in Bukit Gelugor?

Huan is no idiot. For sure he knows there is no way he could be saved from a humiliating defeat in this race, perhaps with his deposit confiscated as well.

But, if his participation can help promote his almost forgotten party, and if RM10,000 of election deposit can bring himself to the attention of the nation, then it is not altogether a waste.

Compared to the other two independents, Huan's media exposure is indeed prominent, as he has commanded conspicuous spaces on national newspapers for two days in a row with his crossfire with Ramkarpal. By comparison, the lawyer Abu Backer has to do a little more work to get some attention, even to the extent of lying flat in front of Lim Guan Eng's car.

Now, over to Teluk Intan. Public eyeballs have focused on DAP's Dyana Sofya these days, while the well-oiled Gerakan fighter Mah Siew Keong is very obviously given the cold shoulder.

Dyana has managed to amass a hype around her not only because she represents the new generation young Malays and the fact she is Lim Kit Siang's political secretary, another significant outward factor is her pretty outlook and approachability.

Mah is an old-time warrior with a wealth of political experiences to his credit. This, coupled with his interpersonal ties in Teluk Intan and the controversial hudud law issue, should make the election war a really tough one.

Dyana Sofya

But out of everyone's expectation, the BN, in particular Umno, appears to have been spellbound by the young Dyana. Suddenly the entire electoral strategy has been remodeled to target this very woman, with all the more pertinent national issues like hudud controversies taking the backseat.

In Bukit Gelugor or in Teluk Intan, it is the completely contorted, unjustifiable and perverted undertone that rules supreme now. -Mysinchew