Handshakes still the best way in Besut

With the 13th General Election mood still hovering over, the two candidates in the upcoming Kuala Besut by-election are working long hard hours to convince voters.

KUALA BESUT:  The campaign to captivate voters’ hearts in the Kuala Besut by-election officially began immediately after the nomination of candidates on July 12.

The 12-day campaign period allowed is in tune with the democratic rights of the candidates, despite the fact that the journey to courting the voters had begun soon after the seat became vacant following the death of the incumbent Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar of the Barisan Nasional (BN) on June 26.

With the 13th General Election mood still hovering over, the two candidates in fray are working hard hours on end to convince voters why they should be chosen.

As in previous elections, all the mediums that can attract support such as blogs, Facebook and Twitter have been used extensively without alienating the conventional tracks namely, talks, posters, bunting, pamphlets and also going down to the ground.

Although the use and impact of social media is increasingly seen, the truth is that conventional campaigns are seen to have greater pulling power in influencing the 17,683 voters Kuala Besut, most of whom are fishermen.

Not intending to label the 22,986 residents in the 41 square kilometre Kuala Besut as not IT savvy, Bernama’s conversations with some the residents found most preferred to obtain information related to the by-election via  conventional methods.

To them, information obtain directly either through talks or face-to-face with the candidates were more genuine and had sentimental value, which could sway them.

“We the old generation do not mind information that’s on social networking sites, and for us, the talks and face-to-face with voters activities are the more meaningful form of campaign,” said Deraman Jusoh, 52.

He said the approach to go to the ground and house visits were more meaningful because through it the villagers and voters would know the candidates better.

Similar tips were also shared by Perak Menteri Besar Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir who described campaigns in by-election were more demanding on the candidate’s personal touch, compared to the aggressive ceramah approach to the point of attacking the other party.

“The approach to say Hi, shake hands and participate in activities with society and house visits are able to enhance the candidate’s real personality in the voters eyes,” he said when met during a Barisan Nasional (BN) campaign around Kampung Lampu and Kampung Nangka here.

House–to-house campaign

Although seen as left behind, the conventional campaigns actually give lots of advantages to the candidates in an election where the majority voters are Malay as in Kuala Besut because the personal touch is more valued compared to displays on computer screens, smart phones or even newspapers.

So no wonder, Umno and PAS through their candidates, Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman and Azlan Yusof were seen all over the villages here to touch base with voters.

“It does not matter even if it is just simply asking about their health and shaking hands, this method will resolve the boundary separation between candidates and voters, and more importantly it able to avoid slander and insults against opponents,” said Tengku Zaihan.

Both candidates also acknowledged that conventional campaigns from house to house as very important, even if it becomes a potent weapon potent to dilute the voters preferences especially to those who have made the decision as to who will be selected as their assemblyman on July 24.

Barisan Nasional’s Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abd Rahman, 37,  a former engineer with the Drainage and Irrigation Department is pitted against PAS’ Endot@Azlan Yusof, 48, a businessman, in the by-election.

-Bernama