In Malay heartland, only Umno's reincarnation can change hearts and minds

SPECIAL REPORT | In the sleepy village of Kampung Tanjung Minyak, Umno flags flutter atop rooftops and mango trees.

The flags were a reminder to outsiders that this Malaccan village, like many Malay villages in the state, was staunchly behind Umno.

Countless attempts by NGOs and the opposition to campaign on the outskirts of Malacca have ended with repeated incidences of violence as villagers sought to chase them away.

It is for this reason that the opposition had never been able to expand beyond the predominantly Chinese Malacca town centre, with DAP dominating the state's opposition politics for decades.

Other opposition parties only managed to make inroads for the first time in the 13th general election, with PAS picking up its first state seat in the form of Bukit Baru and PKR picking up its first parliamentary seat in the form of Bukit Katil.

Both had transformed into suburban constituencies in just a couple of election cycles, and have undergone rapid change in recent years.

However, the Malay villages on the outskirts of Malacca remain impenetrable by the opposition.

But for the first time, this is starting to change.

In Kampung Tanjung Minyak, among the many Umno flags, some Bersatu flags have emerged - a rare public display by the opposition.

Umno garnered more than 75 percent of the votes in the voting district of Kampung Tanjung Minyak, which comes under the state seat Paya Rumput.

Once a taboo that would almost certainly court fierce reaction from residents, Bersatu had successfully organised several events in the village.

During Hari Raya Haji this year, local resident Zainol Adam had helped organised a korban ceremony in the village for Bersatu.

"My friends and I went house to house (to promote the event).

“(Now) they (Bersatu) says they want to have ceramah in this village, so my friends and I, Insya-Allah, we will also help," said Zainol.

Zainol is still the Kampung Tanjung Minyak Umno Youth branch chief but plans to quit for Bersatu soon.

Chipping at Umno juggernaut

For residents at the village, listening to ones of their own, albeit one that will be joining the opposition soon, was better than hearing from outsiders.

It also helps that Bersatu, like Umno, had branded itself as a Malay party.

While the villagers were not changing their allegiance overnight, Bersatu's chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad star power had also helped them to at least hear the opposition out, something they had been unwilling to do in the past.

Tanjung Minyak resident Siron Ghafor noted at least 200 people in their village attended the Bersatu korban ceremony for Hari Raya Haji.

Siron said he previously voted for Umno but was recently looking into supporting an opposition party.

He had initially considered PAS, but then Bersatu came along.

“I really believe (in Mahathir). Malaysia was good, we had everything, we did not have many problems (when Mahathir was prime minister).

“With the current prime minister, when I go to the shop, there’s no oil, no flour. The prices keep going up, what to do?” he said.

There had been altercations over the installation of Bersatu flags but Siron, who now has a Bersatu flag on top his house, was unfazed.

Local residents, many who are long-time Umno supporters, have tolerated the display of Bersatu flags and if outsiders tried to stop it, Siron said he would accord similar treatment that Umno had dished out to other opposition parties in the past.

“What are they going to do? If they dare to step into this village, I will chase them out myself,” he said.

Around 10 kilometres away, at Kampung Krubong, Umno's invincibility also appears to be wearing away with Bersatu slowly chipping away at the political juggernaut.

Kampung Krubong is also a polling district in the state seat of Paya Rumput. BN won almost 70 percent of the votes in the polling district during the last general election.

Widow Fazizah Dat, a local resident, said she had never joined a political party before but she turned up when Mahathir delivered a ceramah at her village.

Umno had an event on the same night in the village, she added, but the crowd was much smaller there.

“They had a lot of empty tents,” she laughed.

'Malay party vs Malay-led party'

Malacca Pakatan Harapan chairperson Adly Zahari, who is from Amanah, told Malaysiakini that part of their strategy is for Malay-majority areas to be placed under Bersatu’s responsibility.

However, he reminded that even though Bersatu has been gaining ground in certain areas, such as the state seat of Paya Rumput, which Kerubong and Tanjung Minyak falls under, it is still a relatively new party.

“They are not the only opposition party to have worked in that area. PKR has been working in that area for years,” he said.

Paya Rumput, which comprises 56 percent Malay, 36 percent Chinese and eight percent Indian, was won by BN with a 1,270-vote majority in the last general election.

PKR had contested the seat in the last general election and seat negotiations are still ongoing with Bersatu, which is also eyeing the seat, touting its ability to attract Malay voters.

Malacca Bersatu deputy chief Rafiq Naizamohideen believes that the Malay community sees his party as one that can champion their cause.

“The main reason is that we have convinced many rakyat that we will replace Umno (as a Malay party).

“There is a difference between a party led by Malays and a Malay party,” he said.

As such, Rafiq thinks that Bersatu can trigger a Malay tsunami in the heartlands that used to be Umno’s strongholds.

However, with less than a year to the general election, it remains a tall order for Bersatu's gradual inroads to overcoming Umno's traditionally huge majorities in the rural constituencies.

Zainol, the Bersatu-leaning Umno leader, conceded that most of those in his village who supported Bersatu were from the young generation.

Echoing this was 78-year-old retiree Abu Bakar, who admitted that it was difficult to change the minds of the older generation.

“Just like me. Before my mind was opened, I was hugging the Umno tree very tightly,” Abu Bakar told Malaysiakini when met at his home in Kampung Krubong.

But at least now, it appears that more and more voters deep in the Malay heartland are willing to listen to the opposition, instead of blocking them out completely.- Mkini