A row of plastic bags labelled "sumber kekayaan baru" - new source of wealth - with a picture of a smiling durian showing two thumbs up, are ready and waiting before Prime Minister Najib Razak's arrival on Friday at Telaga Walk, a new food court catering to the steady stream of tourists who visit Langkawi's Cenang beach.

Although it was billed as a "walkabout", the Barisan Nasional (BN) chief's campaign stop before a night rally was carefully planned. Despite the presence of his usual phalanx of security detail - who have in the past shoved over-enthusiastic well-wishers aside - a group of Muslims managed to break through to say a prayer for him on the spot, declaring it was "to ensure victory for BN".