Pakatan's victory signals reversal of fortunes

PAS' comfortable victory in Permatang Pasir, despite the low turnout, was a sweet surprise, especially so after the narrow win at Manek Urai.

The win came only a few hours after Barisan Nasional deputy chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin claimed that a wind of change was blowing across the state constituency.

But Umno and Barisan Nasional had gone all out during the eight-day campaign period which, to some extent, dented the majority ala Manek Urai.

After nearly biting the dust in Kelantan in July, Pakatan Rakyat and PAS leaders will, understandably, savour and trumpet this win as the people's victory.

PAS state commissioner Mohd Salleh Man's win would be hailed as a sure indication that Permatang Pasir constituents have rejected Umno and Barisan Nasional's money politics, hegemony, unfair and unjust rule.

To a certain extent, Pakatan's boast carries more than just water as results have shown and, except for the three streams for senior citizens and retirees and postal votes, Mohd Salleh had won the remaining 36 streams.

PAS won all the eight polling stations - Sama Gagah, Permatang Pauh, Permatang Ara, Bukit Indera Muda, Kampung Pelet, Kubang Semang, Tanah Liat, Kampung Cross Street and Permatang Tengah.


There was not much difference with Mohd Salleh's majority percentage in most of these streams compared to those secured by his predecessor, the late Mohd Hamdan Abdul Rahman.

Like the other seven previous by-elections in the past one year, the younger voters and non-Malays supported Pakatan.

If this trend continues for the next few years, BN and Umno are heading for a sure defeat in the country's 13th general election, unless of course a miracle happens.

DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong described the win as 'a sweet victory' because the people have seen all the dirty tactics, like money politics, used by BN to win the contest.

But he concluded with suggestions that the victory may not have been that sure if not for one man - Permatang Pauh parliamentarian (and most famous son) Anwar Ibrahim.

"He was a giant factor here," conceded Liew.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man and the parliamentary opposition leader Anwar delivered where it mattered most.

Putrajaya on the horizons again?

However, it will take a bit more before he will be able to actually deliver Pakatan's holy grail, Putrajaya.

At Permatang Pasir, he hopped and shuttled from rally to rally, talking to the people, mesmerising them with his well articulated oratory skills, singing for them, pointing out political rights and wrongs, and pleading with them not to let him down.

At the grand finale rally held last night at the Permatang Pauh town, PKR supremo Anwar put his self pride on the line and pleaded to the voters not to embarrass him.

"If BN wins or loses small, I could not show my face anywhere. I would rather go to jail. Please give the same support to me, for Salleh Man. A vote for Mohd Salleh is a vote for me," said Anwar.


Such a down to earth humble plea by Anwar, the constituency's favourite son, would have touched many hearts, even those who would have thought of not voting.

But it does not mean Anwar, alone, won it for PAS.

The contrasting personalities of the candidates, too, were decisive.

Permatang Pasir, which has 20,290 registered voters, is a rural constituency dominated by Malay culture, customs, paddy fields, vegetable farms and small businesses run by the Chinese.

The majority of the constituents preferred an elected representative with a village personality with grassroots touch and a down to earth character.

"He must look humble even if he was academically and professionally highly qualified, and being seen as one of them," said a PAS local leader during the campaign.

Mohd Salleh fits the bill perfectly, he said.

Rohaizat on the other hand, was seen by some as an elite, belonging to the corporate world, out of touch with the grassroots and a young upstart created by the efficient Umno incorporate.

His personal baggage, including the disbarment by the Bar Council and the mysterious second wife, buried him alive in this conservative Malay heartland.

Better Umno candidate may have gone further

Indeed one could palpably feel the enthusiasm of BN leaders and party workers soon after nomination day, that they might have a genuine go at Pakatan with the belief
that somehow they could reverse their by-election losses in the Peninsular.

For two days they worked hard, entering interior parts of the constituency, wooing the voters, especially the women.


But all that was before Rohaizat's disbarment as a lawyer made headlines.

Pakatan then seized the opportunity to take the fight to BN and put the ruling coalition on its political back foot.

Instead of taking off from where it left in Manek Urai, BN strategists found themselves on the defence.

This practically demoralised the BN campaigners.

While Pakatan were conducting rallies after rallies to woo the voters, most BN election workers were in relaxed mode.

They were happily hanging around at the party election operation centres, especially at the main command centre at Bukit Merah to perhaps, placate the party leaders.

They spent precious campaign hours talking, laughing, eating or glued to television sets, while federal ministers were working their socks to win the hearts and minds of the voters.

Permatang Pauh Umno division is also infamous for its factionalism, another contributing factor to Rohaizat's defeat.

Solid support for PR from non-Malays

Chinese and Indian voters, who gave Anwar a solid 90 percent support during his parliamentary by-election victory last year, only gave an average of 75 per cent support to PAS, while 65 per cent of the Malay vote went to Mohd Salleh.

Mohd Salleh's win was inevitable from the start given that Permatang Pauh and Permatang Pasir have been a PKR - PAS stronghold since 1999.

Permatang Pasir is the only seat PAS has in Penang and Pakatan leaders showed they were determined to ensure the party completed the Pakatan composition of component representation in the state government.


Umno and BN campaigns use of the mainstream media to portray Anwar as a Malay traitor, PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik, in the wrong and the DAP, as being anti-Islamic, just did not work.

And the Umno youth's tactic to 'expose' the so called phantom voters simply did not work.

All backfired on the perpetuators as Pakatan leaders took turns to counter the allegations with their own revelations and anti-BN jibes.

In contrast, all the Pakatan tactics worked and worked so well that it ensured a victory

At the end, some 65 per cent of the voters won the day for PAS.

Mohd Salleh could finally savour his first taste of electoral victory after suffering defeats in all previous five election battles that he had contested - Pinang Tunggal, Permatangan Berangan, Sungai Dua (twice) state seats, and the Tasek Gelugor parliamentary constituency.

YB Mohd Salleh is now set to be appointed the next president of the Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Council.

Malaysiakini
26/08/09