Rantau – battle between future 'prime ministers'

On the eve of polling day, Dr Mahathir Mohamad rode a helicopter to Cameron Highlands in a vain bid to convince voters to cast their ballots for Pakatan Harapan. This was strike one for the coalition.

Early this month, the prime minister's party Bersatu had failed to retain the Semenyihstate seat in another by-election. Strike two.

Now, all eyes are on Mahathir's designated successor Anwar Ibrahim on whether he would be able to bat a home run in the Rantau by-election on April 13.

The Rantau state seat in Negeri Sembilan falls under the Rembau parliamentary constituency, adjacent to the Port Dickson constituency represented by Anwar.

The contest comes amid renewed speculation of a rift between Mahathir and him, which has cast doubts on the two-year transition of power timeframe between the former nemeses.

Sharing his views on the by-election, UKM political science lecturer Muhamad Nadzri Mohamed Noor said Anwar would be the unofficial head of Harapan's campaign by virtue of being the Port Dickson MP.

“A victory will boost Harapan's morale and Anwar's credibility as the next prime minister,” he said in a statement to Malaysiakini. 

On the same note, the lecturer noted that the Rantau polls is also crucial for Mohamad Hasan under whose stewardship Umno and BN managed to reverse their losing streak in the last two by-elections.

"Mohamad has the brightest chance to be nominated as prime minister by the BN and PAS alliance in the next general election.

“Winning Rantau is important for the opposition's movement,” he noted, pointing out that a defeat would have implications on the opposition with regard to the next general election as well.

Apart from Mohamad, he said BN lacked those with charisma and leadership qualities to maintain ties between the three parties in the coalition.

“BN, especially Mohamad, will fight tooth and nail to win Rantau,” he added.

Although the UKM lecturer said the chances on paper are 50-50 between Harapan and BN, he, however, believes that Mohamad's candidature gives the opposition an edge.

Mohamad, the former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar, had first won the Rantau seat in the 2004 general election.

In the last national polls, he retained the seat uncontested after the Election Commission barred Streram, his sole challenger, from filing his nomination papers.

Streram later filed an election petition which led to the courts ordering that a by-election be held in the Malay-majority seat, which also has a significant number of Indian and Chinese voters. - Mkini