Anwar Ibrahim’s new Melaka Chief Minister: Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin
This may work in Rais Yasin’s favour. He does not need to win 51% of the votes as long as he can split the Pakatan Harapan votes, which seems likely to happen. And the PAS supporters may vote for Rais Yasin, due to his father’s three-term service to the constituency, than for the Bersatu candidate.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
“Tidak Namakan Bakal KM Mungkin Merugikan PH, Kata Penganalisis,” said Free Malaysia Today (READ HERE).
Actually, Anwar Ibrahim does have a candidate for the post of the new Melaka Chief Minister. And that prospect is one-time Primary Industries Deputy Minister, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.
Shamsul had served Anwar well in the plot to bring down Mohamed Azmin Ali. Shamsul was behind the ‘semburit’ video scandal that involved his private secretary, Haziq Abdul Aziz, and Azmin, Anwar’s archenemy.
Shamsul and Haziq set up a honey-trap at the Hotel Four Points in Sandakan and Azmin walked right into it and got caught, literally, with his pants down. And Shamsul is being rewarded for this service with the post of the new Melaka Chief Minister.
Shamsul and his his private secretary, Haziq, set up a honey-trap for Azmin Ali
Shamsul does not have a very spectacular track record so Anwar gave him the Paya Rumput (N13) seat, which can be considered a Pakatan Harapan safe seat.
In the 2018 general election, Pakatan won that seat with 48.3% of the votes. Umno won 31.3% of the votes and PAS won 6.2%. Hence that three-corner contest gave Pakatan Harapan the win with less than 50% of the votes.
Paya Rumput has 61% Malay voters and 30% Chinese voters. And normally, in this type of racial mix, PKR has the edge over parties such as Umno, PAS, DAP, etc.
Shamsul at work, when he is not busy setting up gay honey traps for Anwar’s enemies
Hence PKR considers Paya Rumput a safe seat for Shamsul, especially when it is a three-corner fight between PKR, Umno and Bersatu. And Bersatu will need to get votes from PAS supporters if they do not wish to lose their deposit.
Shamsul does not have a good track record so he will need all the support he can get. In 2018, he won only 34.8% of the votes in a three-corner fight with Umno (who won 38.7% of the votes) and PAS (who won 9.22% of the votes). However, Shamsul won the Parliament seat with 51% of the votes in also a three-corner fight with Umno and PAS.
Shamsul also won the 2013 general election with 53.3% of the votes in a straight fight with Umno against Mohd Ali Rustam. However, he lost the 2004 and 2008 general elections, both times in straight fights against Umno.
Rais Yasin, the dark horse that may yet slay the giant, Shamsul Iskandar
Shamsul will be facing Datuk Rais Yasin, who is currently the Youth Chief for Tangga Batu, and Muhammad Faris Izwan Mazlan from Bersatu. Shamsul may not be able to win more than 50% of the votes but with Umno and Bersatu splitting the votes, Shamsul can still win, as what happened in the past in many three-corner contests.
Pakatan Harapan has a good chance of winning the Melaka state election because of the three-corner contests in all 28 seats with Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional. But Shamsul is not popular in Paya Rumput and the Pakatan Harapan machinery may boycott or sabotage him.
This may work in Rais Yasin’s favour. He does not need to win 51% of the votes as long as he can split the Pakatan Harapan votes, which seems likely to happen. And the PAS supporters may vote for Rais Yasin, due to his father’s three-term service to the constituency, than for the Bersatu candidate.
