Perikatan Nasional is not worried about the increased support of Malay voters and civil servants for Pakatan Harapan-BN as seen in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, said Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
The Bersatu Youth leader said this was because the by-election was a one-sided clash, with the government offering what he described as "political sweets and bribes".
"We are not worried…
"Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's fake reform government is practising 'pork barrel politics', which is politics that promises sweets and political bribery," he told Malaysiakini.
Providing examples, Wan Fayhsal (above) pointed to Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming announcing RM5.21 million to upgrade public infrastructure facilities under the supervision of the Hulu Selangor Municipal Council and the New Chinese Village Project in Kuala Kubu Baharu.
With so many "sweets" dished out, the opposition MP said it was not impossible for the government to win the seat.
"I saw a lot of evidence, Defence Minister Mohd Khaled Nordin gave a mock cheque, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail held a Hari Raya celebration and so on.
"This is all hypocrisy and political practice with one-sided offers by Harapan. That's why they won.
“Certainly, the people and civil servants don’t dare to oppose the government when they are given such an offer," Wan Fayhsal claimed.
It should be noted that in August 2020, Wan Fayhsal was allegedly captured on video promising to leverage his position in the government and party to issue support letters in exchange for votes.
In the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on May 11, government candidate Pang Sock Tao won 14,000 votes, defeating her challengers from PN Khairul Azhari Saut (10,131 votes), Parti Rakyat Malaysia candidate Hafizah Zainudin (152 votes) and independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin (188 votes).
Malay and Indian voters’ support for the government recorded an increase between three and eight percent, respectively, compared to the state elections last year.
Think tank Institut Darul Ehsan’s analysis said that the government got 42 percent of the Malay vote in the by-election, compared to 39 percent last year.
As for the postal vote, a total of 249 police personnel (84.1 percent) voted for the government candidate, with 47 votes (15.8 percent) for PN.
For the military, support for the government increased from 27 votes (16 percent) in the 2023 state polls to 84 votes (54.2 percent) in the by-election. Support for PN decreased from 142 votes (84 percent) in 2023 to 71 votes (45.8 percent).
Temporary setback
Wan Fayhsal insisted that PN's defeat in Kuala Kubu Baharu was merely a temporary setback.
"This by-election is too focused, they are afraid of being punished. Unlike last year, the police and army supported PN.
"So, I believe this is only a temporary defeat. In the long term, PN will regain our traditional votes from the military and police because we are the ones who uphold their values," he added.
Return to Umno-BN
Umno supreme council member Razlan Rafii expressed optimism about the return of support from civil servants, the police and the military for Umno-BN and the government.
He said Umno had expected that efforts to convince them of Harapan-BN cooperation for the sake of stability would take some time, amid various criticisms from PN.
"(Confidence can be restored) despite various accusations and insults from PN to Umno, especially (when PN leaders gave speeches in front of the Malays), but we see that this decision is not in favour of PN as a whole," he told Malaysiakini.
Razlan said BN's cooperation with Harapan has shown results and voiced confidence that the Malays will support Umno like before.
"Today, little by little, the politics of incitement, the politics of hatred, the politics of playing on unhelpful issues by PN have been rejected by the Malays.”
He also praised Pang's victory in 16 out of 18 polling districts in Kuala Kubu Baharu, describing it as a big blow to PN.
"It is clear that we have recaptured the voting district where the majority of the Malays are and this is actually a blow to PN which is so proud that the Malays support them," he added. - Mkini
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