Malay votes not PN’s focus in Kuala Kubu Baharu, says analyst

A by-election will take place on May 11 in Kuala Kubu Baharu following the death of DAP’s three-term assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong last month.

PETALING JAYA: An analyst says he does not think Perikatan Nasional’s focus at the upcoming Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election will be on securing the Malay vote.

Akademi Nusantara’s Azmi Hassan said PN will not be gunning for the Malay votes on May 11 because it is “theirs already”.

Azmi Hassan.

He said Malay voters in the state constituency are expected to show strong support for the opposition coalition even if it fields a Chinese or Indian candidate from one of its components.

“Seventy to 80% of Malay voters will support PN. Whether it’s a candidate from Gerakan or PAS, those votes will be there.

“The key for PN (in this by-election) is to steal a bit from non-Malay voters who support Pakatan Harapan,” he told FMT.

Despite this, Azmi expects DAP to defend the Selangor seat once again with a similar majority as during the state elections last August.

He said PH had managed to retain the seat with a majority of over 4,000 votes despite the “green wave” of support for PN being at its peak then.

“So, I’m sure it will be a Chinese DAP candidate, and the win will be on PH’s side with a similar majority.”

Azmi said this by-election would be yet another test of Umno’s ability to woo Malay support for the unity government at the ballot box.

The late Lee Kee Hiong.

Kuala Kubu Baharu voters go to the polls on May 11 following the death of DAP’s three-term assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong on March 21 following a battle with cancer.

Selangor PH has said it would field a DAP candidate.

Meanwhile, PAS vice-president Amar Abdullah said a Gerakan candidate might contest for PN following an agreement reached among PN components during the August state elections.

A Selangor DAP assemblyman who spoke on condition of anonymity previously told FMT that DAP will need to secure at least 60% of the Indian vote if it wants to emerge victorious in the by-election.

Former DAP leader P Ramasamy had also said that the by-election would test Indian support for the opposition. He said his new party, Urimai, will be campaigning against the unity government.

Kuala Kubu Baharu has a mixed electorate comprising 50% Malay, 30% Chinese and 18% Indian voters.

Oh Ei Sun.

Meanwhile, Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said DAP should consider fielding a Malay candidate for the by-election since the community makes up the majority of voters there.

He said the PH component is likely to get most of the Chinese votes, adding that the same applied to PN as regards Malay voters.

“PAS must go all out to round up most if not all the Malay votes,” he said. - FMT