BN loss due to attitude problem
Furthermore, he claimed, the character assassination (against Rohaizat) had also worked for PAS. “Even though I personally believe there was nothing wrong with our candidate, voters somehow believed the allegations and it was difficult to change their perception,” he said.
Malaysian Mirror
PAS supporters would go out to vote even if it is the last day of their life while Umno voters prefer to stay home when it rains, said Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan.
“It is a different attitude altogether between PAS and Umno voters,” he told reporters here, when giving his reaction to the Aug 25 by-election defeat of the Barisan Nasional in Permatang Pasir.
PAS retained the Penang state seat when its candidate Mohd Salleh Man trounced Barisan’s Rohaizat Othman by a majority of 4,551 votes.
Mohd Salleh obtained 9,618 votes to Rohaizat’s 5,967. The majority, however, was lower than the 5,433-vote recorded for the seat in the March 2008 general election.
The Election Commission said 73% of the voters turned up to cast their ballot papers, less than the 83% recorded during the 2008 general election.
Low voter turnout bad for BN
Ahmad said the coalition’s loss was, among other reasons, caused by the ‘low’ voter turnout, adding that those who stayed away from the polling stations were mainly Barisan supporters.
“We could have won if the turnout was 85%. Any figure lower than that makes it difficult for us to secure a victory.
“It is a different attitude altogether between PAS and Umno voters. Those who support PAS will come out to vote come rain or shine, or even if it is their last day on earth.
“But it is the opposite when it comes to those who support Umno. They will not go to the ballot boxes if is not convenient to them.
“And it so happened that the polling was on a weekday and it is the fasting month,” he said at a breaking of fast function with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on Thursday night.
No Chinese support
Ahmad claimed the Barisan also did not get enough votes from the Chinese community whom, he believed, supported the DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat state government.
He cited, as an example, a polling area where there were 2,000 Chinese voters. Only 300 gave their support to the Barisan.
Ahmad alleged there were also ‘phantom voters’ besides the fact that the seat is a stronghold of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
Furthermore, he claimed, the character assassination (against Rohaizat) had also worked for PAS.
“Even though I personally believe there was nothing wrong with our candidate, voters somehow believed the allegations and it was difficult to change their perception,” he said.
