Chinese PAS rep confident of securing support from his community

Annuar Tan Abdullah, PAS' Chinese Muslim assemblyperson for Kota Lama, is confident that he can fend off the DAP.

This was in the face of DAP eyeing to contest the Kota Lama state seat, which has the highest concentration of Chinese voters in Kelantan, a state where the party had not contested since the 1986 general election.

Annuar believed Chinese voters in his constituency will continue to back him for a fifth term, claiming that the Chinese in Kelantan were "different" and not easily influenced by DAP.

"They (Chinese voters in Kelantan) have been educated in PAS' way of governance and have been given fair treatment since the time of the late (former menteri besar) Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

"In other places, they be may be influenced by DAP, but not in Kelantan," he told Malaysiakini.

Anuar won 14,269 votes to MCA's 7,651 votes in Kota Lama during the last general election.

Voters in the constituency comprise 64 percent Malays, 34 percent Chinese and two percent Indians.

Despite many Chinese voters turning against PAS after the demise of Pakatan Rakyat, Annuar claimed the situation had been different in Kelantan.

He said this based on the attendance of the Chinese community in events organised by PAS or the PAS-led Kelantan government.

He cited the thousands who turned up for the opening of the Cheng Ho Square arch and Lantern Festival celebrations officiated by Menteri Besar Ahmad Yaakob on Oct 5 as an example.

Annuar conceded that his majority may decline but was still confident of a win.

Apart from the Chinese factor, Annuar also believes that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad leading Pakatan Harapan will work in PAS' favour.

He pointed out that Mahathir presided over discriminatory policies against Kelantan when he was prime minister.

"Kelantanese also hate Mahathir who governed Malaysia for 22 years," he added.

PSM is also eyeing to contest the seat, making it a possible four-corner fight with PAS, BN and DAP.

However, Annuar believes it will be a two-horse race between PAS and BN.

"It's good (if there are more parties contesting), there will be more flags, and shops will have more business.

"(But) we don't feel there is any risk. Voters here will only choose between PAS or BN. We are not worried about splinter parties," he said in apparent reference to Amanah, which is expected to contest most of the state seats in Kelantan on behalf of Harapan.

DAP contesting in Kota Lama has yet to be finalised due to concerns that the party's reentry into the Kelantan electoral scene for the first time in more than three decades may be used as fodder against Amanah.

PAS had repeatedly accused Amanah, its splinter party, of being a lackey of DAP.- Mkini