In Kajang, a tangled web
(MM) – The battle for Kajang seat has begun, unofficially that is, with both sides of the political divide hitting the pre-campaign trail, meeting electorates under the guise of Chinese New Year celebration.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) supremo and by-election candidate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim met the Christian community at Holy Family Church in Kajang at noon yesterday and tomorrow evening he will be meeting the Malay electorate.
For Anwar, this is his third week in Kajang state constituency, whizzing around meeting electorates and holding night ceramah, explaining why his party created the by-election, which the electorate is still questioning.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin attended a close-door meeting with Hulu Langat Umno division committee members and then had a walk-about at Sungai Kantan in Kajang.
Former minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim had a press conference at noon, complete with satay lunch for the media, announcing his intention to take on Anwar as an Independent.
Zaid said he was contesting to stop the Kajang move that would end in Anwar becoming the mentri besar of Selangor.
The ground is unpredictable at present although PKR did well at last year’s general election polling a majority of 6,824 against Barisan Nasional (BN) and three other Independents.
This time around, PKR created the by-election to allow Anwar to helm Selangor as mentri besar citing current Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s inability to face the purported onslaught from Selangor Umno.
But the electorates, 41 per cent Chinese, 48 per cent Malays and remaining Indians have begun thinking hard and deep as they felt they are being made used as political tools by Anwar and PKR to further their self-interests rather than the electorates.
Despite that, PKR and its allies — PAS and DAP — are riding high on the rising cost of living and alleged corruption in the government which give them the confidence of retaining the seat.
However, the problem which Anwar faces and make him desperate in wooing the voters is the majority figure — whether the party or he as a prominent opposition figure — can maintain the majority gained last election.
A reduction will mean his influence as well as the trust in him has eroded, where the general public in general and the electorates of Kajang in particular, no longer trust his vision.
This means he may not be respected and regarded highly by his partners — leaders of DAP and PAS — particularly PAS as the party leaders had voiced out their disagreement for Anwar to replace Khalid as the mentri besar
BN on the other hand is going in as an underdog where the general public has already predicted that the ruling coalition will lose and many would prefer the BN not to contest the seat.
Given the circumstances the by-election is held, even many in Umno do not agree for the BN to contest.
“Why should we dance with the wolves? They are wolves in sheep’s clothing and dancing with them means we play into Anwar’s trap,” said a Selangor division head.
