Straight fights expected in Sg Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections

(MMO) – Impending by-elections in two parliamentary seats — Sungai Besar in Selangor and Kuala Kangsar in Perak — are expected to see a straight fight between Barisan Nasional (BN) and PAS.

It is understood that Pakatan Harapan components will stay out of the fray.

The results may go either way depending on how fast the opposition pact (DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Parti Amanah Negara) closes ranks and work with PAS to give the Islamist party victory.

For BN, it depends on how well both the late MPs had served the constituents as the political issues and development that have taken place since the 2013 general election have change voters’ mindset and views.

Many see the by-elections as the barometer or the measure of support for the ruling coalition in the next general election.

Issues to be raised will be the ones the opposition pact, which now has the support of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been harping on for the past two years.

However, victory may be elusive for PAS, given the troubled relationship it had with Pakatan Harapan members in the Sarawak election that cost the Opposition votes.

PKR is expected to back PAS regardless of whether DAP and Amanah follow suit, given PKR deputy chief Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s “close” relationship with PAS leaders.

Amanah is not expected to enter the fray although the party may be “instructed” by DAP to make it tougher for PAS as it considers the Islamist party an arch enemy for breaking up Pakatan Rakyat, which preceded Pakatan Harapan.

DAP may also want to vent its ire on PKR after the Sarawak polls as it claims the latter had broken their understanding on candidates in five seats.

Azmin is expected to play a dominant role in convincing Pakatan Harapan to lay off the two seats and support PAS.

Also to be taken into account is the fact that both seats have a Malay majority, with Chinese voters comprising 31 per cent in Sungai Besar and 24 per cent in Kuala Kangsar.

Sungai Besar had 18,696 voters, of whom 66 per cent were Malays, 31 per cent Chinese and two per cent Indians during the 2013 general election.

Kuala Kangsar then had 14,218 voters comprising 68 per cent Malays, 24 per cent Chinese and seven per cent Indians.

Given the slim majority for BN candidates in the last general election — 399 votes in Sungai Besar and 1,000-odd votes in Kuala Kangsar — Azmin may feel PAS can win if Pakatan Harapan gets its act together.

PAS may be chasing a dream in both consituencies after it eschewed the support of other opposition  parties to go it alone in Sarawak.

The seats became vacant after the death of Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Datuk Noriah Kasnon, who was MP for Sungai Besar, and Wan Muhammad Khairil Anuar Wan Ahmad, who was Kuala Kangsar MP.

They were among six killed when their helicopter crashed in Sarawak on Thursday.