A morale booster for BN
Another factor that could have contributed to PAS' lacklustre performance in Manik Urai was the last-minute appearance of Nasharuddin Mat Isa in the constituency, seen by many as the "killer" of PAS' prosepcts.
Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily
As widely anticipated, UMNO has been unable to turn the tide in the just concluded Manik Urai by-election. However, the party has outperformed itself compared to last year's general elections, losing only by a very thin margin of 65 votes!
PAS candidate Ismail Yaakob won by a respectable margin of 1,352 votes during the last general elections, but in merely a year and a half, Mohd Fauzi Abdullah, tasked to defend PAS' seat in the by-election after the former's death, took only 5,348 votes, defeating BN's Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat who managed to secure a total of 5,283 votes, much to the surprise of everyone.
To PAS, in particular menteri besar Datuk Nik Aziz, the by-election should sound a warning bell, as Manik Urai is a typical Malay constituency, and the much favoured PAS barely managed to hold on to it after a truly tough fight.
In Kelantan, BN's economic slogans didn't quite work out in the past, even in that battle just before Manik Urai, BN could only make it with the help of mail ballots in Pengkalan Pasir.
What has actually brought this twist of fate in Manik Urai this time round?
UMNO has fought a wonderful battle this time, thanks to the strategies of DPM cum UMNO deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Muhyiddin has aimed right at the crack that has started to emerge within PAS and basked in its aftermath.
Other than promising a new bridge for Manik Urai, Muhyiddin has not made any other significant announcement on local development, giving the public an impression of inadequacy. That said, UMNO was actually quietly planning its moves, and did not get into heads-on clashes with PAS in doing so throughout the entire electoral process. Instead, it has banked on the opportunity arising from PAS' internal conflicts to divert the voters' support.
Another factor that could have contributed to PAS' lacklustre performance in Manik Urai was the last-minute appearance of Nasharuddin Mat Isa in the constituency, seen by many as the "killer" of PAS' prosepcts.
Many feel that this deputy president has only worked to tip the balance in the rival's favour, and many agree that he should have been served an embargo by the state liaison committee, for he has always advocated a dialogue with UMNO, resulting in the emergence of contradicting forces within the party.
However, PAS' stand has been unsteady, and finally decided to let Nasharuddin make a brief appearance, which proved only that a crack indeed had formed within the party, allowing UMNO to hit right at its weakest point.
As if that is not enough, the fact that PAS has laid too much hope on its spiritual leader Nik Aziz has also produced the undesirable effects. The party has failed to see whether voters have gone for PAS because of Nik Aziz, or Nik Aziz because of PAS.
One thing that should command some attention after this by-election is that the UMNO-PAS dialogue which has almost been nipped in the bud may be resuscitated anytime soon, and the faction led by party president Hadi Awang that cherishes a friendly dialogue with UMNO is likely to bring this issue to light once again.
To prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who has just sailed past his first 100 days in office, the by-election outcome should serve as a major morale booster, showing that a series of people-friendly policies implemented by him since taking over the baton have slowly won public approval.
