SG BAKAP BY-ELECTION: HONEYMOON OVER, CAMPAIGN SHIFTS TO CRITICAL PHASE

By Ahmad Erwan Othman dan Lucia Terey Anak John

NIBONG TEBAL, June 29 (Bernama) -- The ‘honeymoon’ phase of the Sungai Bakap by-election campaign has ended, transitioning into the most critical and challenging phase, with just seven days remaining before the July 6 polling day.

The contenders, Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are respectively aiming to reclaim the seat, a traditional PKR stronghold, and defend PAS’s victory in last year's August state election.

During the first week of the campaign, PH candidate Dr. Joohari Ariffin, 60, a former director of Aminuddin Baki Institute, Northern Branch, and PN candidate Abidin Ismail, 56, Nibong Tebal PAS vice-president, were seen working tirelessly to engage with voters through numerous programmes from dawn until late night.

Joohari appears to have an edge with a more organised and systematic daily schedule, which he shares with the media each night, while Abidin faced initial challenges, often resulting in last-minute cancellations of scheduled events, leaving media personnel unaware of his whereabouts.

Abidin, however, denied avoiding the media, clarifying that his hectic campaign schedule made coordination difficult.

"I am not avoiding the media, there’s no issue. I simply have a lot of work with speeches and traveling here and there. I do get tired sometimes. I apologize," Abidin responded to complaints from media personnel.

In contrast, Joohari, a former teacher, held a Meet and Greet with the Media to introduce himself and share his mission and hopes for the Sungai Bakap by-election.

Since the campaign began last Saturday, both Joohari and Abidin have focused on conducting a healthy and ethical campaign, avoiding any provocations or personal attacks.

Refraining from promising anything unrealistic, Joohari frequently reminds voters of the importance of higher education to improve their current standard of living and aims to bring more industrial development, including eco-tourism, to revive the small town’s economy.

Meanwhile, Abidin, despite facing controversy over his ISO academic qualifications, has been focusing on local and national issues such as water supply and the cost of living as key points in his campaign. He aims to uphold the legacy of the late Nor Zamri Latiff, the former incumbent of the Sungai Bakap seat.Commenting on the progress of the campaign and the candidates’ prospects, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) political analyst Prof. Datuk Dr. Sivamurugan Pandian said that both candidates have similar approaches.

Being local candidates, they understand the political culture, voter demographics, and geography of Sungai Bakap, which positions them to gain the trust of the voters, he added. 

He noted that although Joohari lacks political experience, he has a strong educational background, having been active in the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM) and having served as a teacher and director at the Aminuddin Baki Institute.

"On the other hand, the PN candidate was a special officer to the late Nor Zamri Latiff (the previous incumbent). Therefore, he has a connection with the area. 

"I believe both candidates are trying to engage with all voters, regardless of whether they are Malay, Chinese, or Indian, as every voter plays a crucial role here," he said, adding that he expects their campaigns to become more aggressive in the coming week.

Given that PAS won with a majority of 1,563 votes in the last state election, Sivamurugan also advised PH to work on convincing UMNO and undecided voters to support them and to ensure that Indian and Chinese voters turn out to vote on July 6.

He emphasised that while national matters are important in this by-election, it is crucial to address local issues such as water supply, flooding, job opportunities, education, traffic congestion, and the influx of foreign workers into Sungai Bakap, as these are longstanding concerns.

Meanwhile, political analyst Dr. Ainul Adzellie Hasnul from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) believes that the PH machinery should focus on Malay votes, as the 59.4 percent Malay electorate can significantly contribute to the recapturing of the constituency.

"The non-Malay voters (40.6 percent) are expected to support Joohari, but what about the Malay votes, which we know are divided?

“Local and national issues at play here must be taken into account, and I believe the PN candidate may have undisclosed advantages," he said.

Commenting on PN's narrative of 'protesting the cost of living through the ballot box' and their stance that 'winning or losing won't change anything,' Ainul Adzellie acknowledged that while a victory for the opposition would not change anything, the outcome will nonetheless indicate whether the government or the party is consolidating strength or encountering challenges.

"Certainly, choosing a representative from the ruling party is generally better in terms of communication and assistance channels.

"The people can choose either a government candidate or an opposition candidate. But I believe PAS will work hard to defend this state assembly seat because their mission and vision are focused on GE16 (16th General election)," he said, anticipating a low voter turnout similar to the Kuala Kubu Bharu by-election.

Joohari and Abidin are competing head-to-head in the Sungai Bakap by-election on July 6, following the passing of incumbent Nor Latiff on May 24 due to abdominal inflammation.

The Sungai Bakap state constituency has 39,279 registered voters, comprised of 39,222 civilian voters and 57 police personnel.

-- BERNAMA