Permatang Pauh voters between rock and hard place, analysts say

Opalyn Mok & Mayuri Mei Lin, Malay Mail Online

Disillusionment with Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and continued rejection of Barisan Nasional (BN) could see voters undecided voters in the Permatang Pauh by-election, according to political analysts.

As the campaign draws nearer to polling day on May 7, there are already indications of political fatigue and indecision among voters here, they said.

“There is no sign of whom they will support because they probably don’t like both parties now so there will be fence sitters and they might not vote at all,” Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani said.

The political analyst from Universiti Utara Malaysia, who also visited Permatang Pauh to observe the by-election, noted that not many people are turning up for PR ceramahs as compared to the last by-election or even the general elections.

This was due to speakers broaching topics that were far removed from local constituents.

“You can see why people lose interest in going to ceramahs and meetings because there are so many issues circulating such as hudud, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and development issues,” he told Malay Mail Online.

Despite the apparent truce among the PR parties for the by-elections here and in Rompin, Mohd Azizuddin did not believe that the hostilities have been postponed and suspected sabotage by PAS supporters still aggrieved by PKR’s criticism over hudud.

The silent boycott was such that he believed that PKR might even lose its seat because of people refusing to vote and because of the PAS factor.

“PAS has a very strong support base in Permatang Pasir, Kubang Semang and Penanti so previously, they are the ones who usually push campaigning really hard on the ground, but now, it is done all by PKR, not so much by PAS,” he said.

Penang Institute political analyst Dr Wong Chin Huat also concurred that the locals are disappointed with PR, mostly due to the infighting among the three parties over hudud.

Wong said that PKR’s campaign that centred on criticising the GST and playing up the controversy over 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) did not resonate as voters were already familiar with both issues and wanted more from the party.

“Unfortunately, voters are disappointed with PR and they do not have another option because there is equally nothing to cheer about for BN,” he added.

Wong warned that Permatang Pauh aside, PR must still deal with the fundamental disagreement over PAS’s ambitions to implement the Islamic penal code in Kelantan if they pact is to remain a viable alternative to BN.

For Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) political scientist Dr Faisal Hazis, the fatigue and apathy among voters in the PKR stronghold was because candidate Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s campaign was predicated solely on attacking BN and its policies.

Aside from criticising the GST and 1MDB, Dr Wan Azizah previously said she was banking on issues such as the government’s purchase of a private jet and comments by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the prime minister’s wife, about her RM1,200 hairdressing bill to give her the advantage here.

“They should go beyond partisan politics and put up strong proposals, talk about policies and proper issues,” Faisal said.

“I think it’s high time that voters in Permatang Pauh ask PR ‘What’s next?’” he said, saying the pact should be made to show its credentials via its administration of the states under the control of the three parties.

Citing Penang as an example, Faisal said that the PR parties were now engaging in the same hill slope developments that they had criticised prior to Election 2008.

He also said PR is succumbing to Umno’s style of politics, pointing to the fanfare to announce the dissolution of the Guar Jering division of Umno recently.

However, he believes support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is still enough to ensure the seat would return to PKR.

PKR has seen lacklustre crowds at its daily ceramahs, a far cry from the massive crowds from Election 2008 and Election 2013.

Even a Labour Day rally to protest the GST that was followed by a ceramah at night failed to draw significant numbers, while those who turned up appeared unengaged with topics of GST and 1MDB.

In this by-election, PKR is riding on the anger over the implementation of GST since April 1 by theming their campaign on anti-GST.

Postal voters will vote on May 3 while the remaining voters will decide on May 7 between Dr Wan Azizah, BN’s Suhaimi Sabudin, PRM’s Azman Shah Othman and independent candidate Salleh Isahak.