SHAH ALAM – The heat of the election campaign in Selangor is getting hotter, especially in state constituencies where political heavyweights are contesting.
The state legislative assembly has 56 seats, which means contesting political parties have to win at least 29 seats to form a state government with a simple majority. With hardly two days left before polling, all 127 candidates are now making a final push to garner as much support as possible before the campaign period ends at 11.59pm tomorrow.
With the tempo of the campaign becoming more aggressive and intense through various programmes and activities carried out face-to-face and through social media, the focus now is on who will be the Selangor menteri besar (MB).
Until now, only the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) pact has named its menteri besar candidate, who is state PH chairman Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
Its erstwhile rival Perikatan Nasional (PN), comprising PAS, Bersatu, and Gerakan, has not yet decided about its menteri besar candidate, although an early announcement is considered important and strategic to assure the 3,747,057 registered voters in Selangor of its capability to fulfil the pledges in its election manifesto.
However, PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced on March 12 that the menteri besar candidate for Selangor and Negri Sembilan would be from Bersatu if the coalition wins, and taking into account the period of the announcement until the dissolution of the respective state assemblies last June 23, it (PN) should have been the first one to name its menteri besar candidate.
PN may have its reasons and strategy for not doing so, but the action is making the electors wonder who the real candidate is, especially with speculations of a few names, like former senior international trade and industry minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and incumbent Sijangkang assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Yunus Hairi, to fill the hot seat.
Is it important for the contesting parties to make an early announcement of their respective menteri besar candidates?
A senior lecturer at the Communications Department, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Norliana Hashim, opined that it could further motivate the individuals concerned (menteri besar candidates) to work harder to ensure victory for their respective parties, as well as expose them to the social aspects of the community.
It can also help electors make smarter decisions on polling day,” she added.
She said the action of some parties in not naming their menteri besar candidate early may be due to their lack of confidence that the named candidate can win the seat they are contesting based on political analysis, popularity, and party support.
An elector in the Pandan Indah constituency, Anis Azman, 37, said the action by PH-BN in making an early announcement of its menteri besar candidate reflects the alliance’s confidence and unity.
“It also gives more confidence to the electors to choose a candidate from the party,” he said, adding that in the context of Selangor, the action taken by PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in announcing Amirudin as the menteri besar candidate reflected the unity and consensus between PH and BN, with BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi welcoming the announcement by Anwar.
He said the early announcement would also give voters more time to assess the credibility of the candidates concerned.
“In terms of party work, it is able to inject more confidence into the machinery of the parties representing the candidates concerned to carry out their campaign,” he said.
Trader Siti Suhaila Othman, 55, said an early announcement of the menteri besar candidate is important as it could also help electors decide on the party they would vote for on polling day.
“I like PH-BN’s way; it seems more transparent compared to its rival, which is in a tug of war to decide (menteri besar candidate).
“Instead of making electors wonder, it is better for contesting parties to just announce their respective menteri besar candidates,” said the woman, who is a registered elector in Sekinchan.
So far, in Selangor, only the PH-BN pact has decided on its menteri besar candidate, while Azmin, who is Selangor PN chairman, said that the coalition had reached a consensus on the candidate but would not name the candidate concerned. – August 10, 2023