By-election: PAS targets Mukhriz instead
Kedah MB Mukhriz Mahathir’s people-friendly style has got PAS worried, according to analysts.
(Bernama) – As the Sungai Limau by-election campaign enters its third day, the PAS machinery is seen as being more focused on efforts to erode the credibility of Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir.
Generally, analysts thought PAS had started to plan strategies to reduce Mukhriz’s political influence, despite the by-election on Nov 4 being a straight fight between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim and PAS candidate Mohamad Azam Abd Samat.
This included raising the issue that Mukhriz was allegedly rejected by Umno members themselves, following his failure to win a vice-president’s post in the recent party election, in addition to claiming that the menteri besar was still shadowed by his father, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
According to them, PAS was worried with Mukhriz’s leadership style which was more people-friendly to mirror the personality of former Kedah menteri besar, the late Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak of PAS who was the incumbent for the Sungai Limau state seat since the general election in 1995.
“This people-friendly trait is among the factors why Azizan was well-liked by friend and foe. Mukhriz is not trying to emulate Azizan as it is indeed his own personality,” political analyst and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Prof Dr Nasrudin Mohamed said yesterday.
Nasrudin said PAS appeared to think that this was this was best strategy to take.
He claimed the party was experiencing a slide in popularity since the state fell into BN’s hands.
He said, both sides were aware a win in the Sungai Limau state seat would not change the fact that Kedah would continue to be led by BN, following the current position of 21 seats for BN and 14 for Pakatan.
But, he was of the opinion that the by-election was the best chance for PAS to ensure that Mukhriz lost in his bid to lead the BN machinery in the GE14.
“Mukhriz’s prefers to go down and meet the local populace to listen to their problems, camp together and become part of the local
community, specifically in the Sungai Limau state seat.
“Because (of this) Mukhriz is seen as a new generation leader of BN who is capable of leading Kedah for a period in excess of one term, if there is no effort to topple him,” he said.
Aiming for Mukhriz
Nasrudin said this why PAS and the opposition pact would use numerous means to ensure Mukhriz’s credibility drops, following his increasing popularity among the local populace.
Another political analyst from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Mohd Faisol Keling, shared Nasrudin’s opinion, saying PAS was in a dilemma to ensure their candidate was on par, or better than Azizan himself.
“The PAS machinery wants to convince the voters that the party can take the place of Azizan.
“This can be due to the absence of issues to be highlighted. In fact, the defeat in the recent general election has become a burden for them to find ways to win back the people’s confidence,” he said.
Mohd Faisol said, if PAS were too specific in its efforts to topple Mukhriz, it could raise suspicion among the communities in the Sungai Limau state constituency on the party’s sincerity, because the welfare of the people should be given priority during the campaigning.
“This is among the things that the people, specifically the residents of Sungai Limau, should evaluate in terms of sincerity, placing the interest of the people beyond the political agenda.
