Neck-and-neck battle for Kuala Selangor as PN eyes a sweep on northern coast

STATE POLLS | As Perikatan Nasional (PN) concentrates its resources to deliver a powerful blow on the northern coast of Selangor, the new Pakatan Harapan and BN alliance finds itself in a neck-and-neck battle in the area.

In GE15 last November, PN rode the “Malay tsunami” and swept through three seats in northern Selangor, namely Sabak Bernam, Sungai Besar and Tanjong Karang, but this force came to a halt in Kuala Selangor.

If PN can maintain its gains in the three parliamentary seats and expand its influence in this state poll by securing the three state seats under Kuala Selangor, it will mean all four parliamentary seats on the northern coast of Selangor will be under its control.

This includes Sungai Ayer Tawar and Sabak state seats under Sabak Bernam - Sungai Panjang under Sungai Besar - Sungai Burong and Permatang under Tanjong Karang and Bukit Melawati, Ijok and Jeram under Kuala Selangor.

If this comes to pass, Harapan-BN will only retain the Sekinchan state seat within Sungai Besar in northern Selangor.

Although Dzulkefly Ahmad from Amanah successfully retained his position as Kuala Selangor MP in GE15, his PAS opponent saw a significant surge in votes, nearly tripling from 8,535 votes in 2018 to 23,639 votes.

Anwar’s rally for tough seats

The implication of Kuala Selangor’s GE15 results is that Harapan-BN’s three state seats in Kuala Selangor have shifted from being “grey” to “black” seats.

This prompted Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to campaign in Ijok last night in a rally, less than 36 hours before polling day, in an attempt to stabilise the voter base.

Aside from highlighting the achievements of the unity government, the Harapan president criticised PN leaders for their lack of action when they were in power and even alleged misappropriation of public funds.

He also reminded Umno members that PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had discussed banning Umno – something party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi refused to compromise on.

“They wanted to ban Umno, but we still have Umno members going to join them? What a shame,” Anwar said in his speech at the rally.

Around 600 people attended the ceramah, where Anwar urged voters to support Harapan-BN candidates in the three state seats of Kuala Selangor.

‘PN helped us’

Both Bukit Melawati and Ijok are mixed constituencies with a Malay majority, and they have PKR incumbents.

A Selangor Harapan leader revealed that the two seats have been categorised as swing seats by PKR with the party believing they only have a 50-50 chance of winning them.

In GE15, the Kuala Selangor PN candidate vote share in Bukit Melawati and Ijok did not exceed 26 percent and was lower than what the Harapan and BN candidates received.

However, Malaysiakini’s visit to both seats found that the discourse put forth by PN leaders was more accepted by the voters.

This includes that the Anwar government was incapable of addressing the rising cost of living, criticisms of Anwar cooperating with Zahid and that the former PN government was more rakyat-centric.

Mina Isdrus (below), a nasi lemak stall owner in Bukit Melawati, shared that she is an Umno grassroots member but she is currently unhappy with Umno and Anwar.

Mina Isdrus

She complained that her house was being demolished but she did not receive assistance from her own party Umno.

On the contrary, she expressed gratitude to the PN government for the aid it provided during the pandemic.

“We remember during the movement control order (MCO) period, it was very difficult, we couldn’t go out to work, but after that we got vaccines. Who was helping us at that time? It was Muhyiddin,” she said.

Another stall owner in Bukit Melawati who only wants to be known as Ahmad blamed the Anwar-led government for failing to stabilise the economy, which has led to a high cost of living.

“Previously it cost RM11 when we bought 1kg of Milo, but now it costs RM17 or RM18,” he said.

Sugarcane stall owner Rozita Talib expressed similar sentiments, telling Malaysiakini that when Muhyiddin was prime minister, life was still manageable even though she could not go out to work during the pandemic.

“During the pandemic, things were not that difficult… now it is getting worse,” she said.

Another Ijok voter who only wants to be known as Eddie said he did not pay much attention to politics but he used to support Anwar and Harapan for their promise to eradicate corruption.

However, Eddie decided to vote for PN this election because he was disappointed when Anwar joined forces with Zahid, who is currently facing a graft case.

Umno attempts to regain lost fortress

Meanwhile, Jeram is a Malay-majority constituency which used to be an Umno stronghold, but it lost the seat in GE14 for the first time, to Bersatu which was still with Harapan at the time.

In this state election, Harapan gave the seat to Umno, hoping the latter can regain Jeram.

But, if the turnout rate remains the same as in GE15, where half of BN supporters shifted to PN, the seat can be captured by PN.

A Jeram voter who only wants to be known as Siyasifyadi (below) told Malaysiakini that he wants to give a chance to the PN candidate.

Siyasifyadi

“We already know what kind of party Umno is, now we want to try PN. If they don’t do well, then we will make a change,” he said. - Mkini