Opposition makes inroads into Barisan Nasional’s traditional bastion of Pahang
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Malaysia caretaker PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob meeting voters in Mengkarang, in his seat of Bera, Pahang, on Nov 16, 2022.
ST PHOTO: HAZLIN HASSAN
KUANTAN, Pahang - While the rural Malay-majority state of Pahang on Malaysia’s east coast has always been a traditional Barisan Nasional (BN) bastion, it has witnessed a fierce onslaught by the opposition to wrest Malay votes in the run-up to Saturday’s general and state elections.
Pahang will be going to the polls to pick 42 state assemblymen and 14 MPs on Saturday.
Both the Umno-led BN and former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) have declared they are confident of winning in Pahang, while Pakatan Harapan’s Anwar Ibrahim has swooped into the state capital Kuantan thrice to speak at packed venues in attempts to make inroads there.
Responding to a question by The Straits Times, caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob of Umno said: “I am confident we can retain Pahang. BN will remain in power in Pahang, and we want to increase the number of state seats (that BN has).”
Pahang, the largest state in the peninsula – and home state to the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, as well as disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak – has 42 state seats.
A total of 25 seats were won by BN in the last general election, while PH took nine. Eight seats are held by Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), which is now a member of the PN coalition.
Pahang PN chairman Saifuddin Abdullah made a bold claim on Thursday that PN, which is riding on PAS’ strong grassroots support in the state, would win a simple majority of the 42 seats.
“After having campaigned for nearly two weeks, I am very confident that the people of Pahang will entrust Pahang Perikatan Nasional to rule the state administration on Nov 19,” Datuk Seri Saifuddin said at a news conference.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man is contesting a state seat in Pahang, despite running for the Kubang Kerian parliamentary seat in Kelantan. He is touted to be PN’s pick for Pahang menteri besar should the coalition form the state government.
BN, however, is widely expected to retain Pahang – although analysts say it could see reduced margins on Saturday.
A 40-year-old voter at Datuk Seri Anwar’s packed rally at a restaurant in Kuantan on Thursday said he would vote for PH for a change.
“People are fed up with the economy, the rising inflation, and politics. Before this, I was an Umno supporter, then I switched to PAS, and now I support PH.
“I didn’t use to like PH, but now that the economy is bad, I figured why not try Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister. If he doesn’t perform, then we can change again after five years,” said the civil servant, who declined to be named.
A group of 68 Malay professors and academics also publicly backed Mr Anwar on Wednesday, something unheard of previously. They said Mr Anwar, supported by PH, was the best choice to lead the country and eradicate abuse of power.
Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Selangor and Pahang chairman for Mr Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, said the party could win four state seats in Pahang. “If the mood is good and if outstation voters return, then the results may be better,” he said on Tuesday.
Pakatan Harapan leader Anwar Ibrahim speaking at a rally in Kuantan, Pahang, on Nov 11, 2022.
Some young people who will be first-time voters on Saturday are still undecided and could provide a big swing.
Mr Sheikh Iman Bakhtiar, 20, who is working as a part-time chef in Kuantan before starting university at the end of the year, said he is torn between voting for BN, because of family loyalties, and PH.
“I idolise Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, whose party Muda is with the PH coalition. I see that whatever promises he makes, he carries out, such as giving laptops to youth in his constituency,” he said.
A 30-year-old business owner in Pahang, who declined to be named, said: “I don’t like politics but I think I prefer BN because of stability.”
Dr Yusri Ibrahim, head of research at think-tank Ilham Centre, told ST that PN is putting up a stiff fight at state level, and could steal some seats from BN. But he expects the composition of the 14 parliamentary seats to remain unchanged.
BN won seven seats in the 2018 General Election, while PH took six and PN, one.
“BN still has a better chance of retaining the state government, and PN still can’t beat BN in terms of parliamentary seats. This is because PAS or PN’s strength is scattered,” Dr Yusri said.
