Bukit Gantang – Yardstick For Political Change In Perak
Bukit Gantang Umno head Datuk Rosli Husin, who had warded off a challenge from Ismail for the division chief post, was confident that a local candidate was a trump card for BN.
By Mohd Zabidi Osman, Bernama
Whether the wind of change is sweeping in Perak in favour of the Barisan Nasional (BN) will be gauged in the Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election on April 7.
To observers, the political change is actually happening on the ground and it is gaining momentum under new Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir as the people had been upset with the PAS leadership for being the DAP's stooge.
Allegations by former state executive councillor Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu that former Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin of PAS was controlled by the DAP has prompted a change of heart in the people.
In February, Mohd Osman, who is the Changkat Jering assemblyman from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), declared himself as an Independent along with two other assemblymen – one from the PKR and another from the DAP. Their actions triggered the collapse of the fragile opposition government of PAS-PKR-DAP in the state.
For the first time in 30 years, Umno is fielding a local candidate, Ismail Saffian, 49, for the seat much to the delight of the voters.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Ismail would be able to fulfill the needs of the local community and could cooperate with all quarters.
Ismail, who is Bukit Gantang Umno information chief, is from Kampung Kubu, Bukit Gantang while his wife is from Changkat Ibol in the same constituency.
One of the factors cited as the reason for BN's defeat in what was regarded as an Umno in the last general election was the choice of an outsider as its candidate.
Umno treasurer Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi lost to PAS' Roslan Shaharum by a margin of 1,566 votes in the election.
Roslan, 50, died of heart failure on Feb 9 which necessitated the by-election.
Bukit Gantang Umno head Datuk Rosli Husin, who had warded off a challenge from Ismail for the division chief post, was confident that a local candidate was a trump card for BN.
"We have waited for 30 years, the voters are delighted. We had enough of outsiders. It is high time that a local is given the chance to serve the community," he said.
Rosli won the Trong state seat in the Bukit Gantang parliamentary constituency, beating PAS' Norazli Musa by a 916 vote-majority.
BN lost the other two state seats in the parliamentary constituency – Changkat Jering and Kuala Sepetang – to PKR.
Changkat Jering went to Mohd Osman, who defeated BN's Datuk Mat Isa Ismail with 1,102 vote-majority while Kuala Sepetang was wrested by Tai Sing Ng, who beat BN's See Tean Seng with 564 vote-majority.
Bukit Gantang has 55,471 voters comprising Malays (63.5 per cent), Chinese (27.1 per cent), Indians (9.1 per cent) and others (0.3 per cent). The majority of the older generation are farmers plantation workers, fishermen and civil servants while the younger generation are mostly employed in factories in Taiping or Ipoh or as far as Penang.
BN won the Bukit Gantang parliamentary constituency in 2004 through Gerakan Wanita chief Datuk Tan Lian Hoe despite objections to her candidacy from Umno at the outset.
Rosli said although Malay voters were disappointed with the choice they voted Lian Hoe anyway but the bitterness gained momentum in the last general election when an outsider was fielded again.
An observer said despite banking on a local candidate, BN should explain to the people on the takeover and position of the state government, which is being challenged in court as PAS' has launched a series of talks to discredit it.
Although PAS will only name its candidate on March 26, its election machinery was activated at a ceramah session by its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in the constituency last week.
BN came hot on the heels of PAS one day later when Zambry visited the constituency to approve the temporary occupation licence (TOL) for ten years to some 1,000 residents of Kampung Seberang in Kuala Sepetang. The audience erupted into applause.
Bukit Gantang Umno division deputy head Kamarulail Sulaiman, who was among those tipped to contest the seat, has pledged his support to Ismail and hailed the choice as the right one.
