Pakatan supporters forgive infighting ahead of polls

Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail retains the loyalty and support of voters in Permatang Pauh in her bid to fill her husband’s, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, former seat. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, May 5, 2015.

The spat over hudud between PAS and its allies, PKR and DAP, make little to no difference among the opposition coalition’s supporters in Permatang Pauh.

Some PKR and PAS supporters in Permatang Pasir and Penanti, two of the three state seats under the contested parliamentary seat, said reports of infighting were a "political ploy" to gain an upper hand in the by-election on Thursday.

Many also still hold the former Permatang Pauh MP, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in high regard, citing the jailed opposition leader’s past contributions in the area as a motivating factor to maintain loyalty and to support Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Anwar’s wife and current PKR president, in her bid to be elected to fill her husband’s former seat.

Shaharuddin Ali, 50, born and bred in Kampung Permatang Pasir, said it was common knowledge that a group of PAS supporters, who had held a protest in front of a mosque in neighbouring Kampung Pertama last Friday, were not voters in the Permatang Pauh constituency.

“They are from Bagan, which is outside our constituency and only out to seek publicity.

“None will be voting here,” he said, when approached at a roadside stall in his village.

The technician said he believed the PAS and PKR supporters in Permatang Pauh were still united against Barisan Nasional.

“People here also have not forgotten Anwar. He has contributed much to this area, from helping to build schools and helping farmers since his days as an Umno minister.

“That is why Kak Wan will win even though she is not as notable as her husband, who is a more prominent orator (orang berpidato) and politician,” he said, referring to Dr Wan Azizah.

Ismail Yahya, 67, from the same village, shared the view, dismissing the infighting in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as an issue “far away among leaders in the higher ups”.

“We do not care about that. Our concern is in choosing a representative who will be able to work for us.”

Vegetable seller, Mohd Anwar Mohd Din, 50, considers himself a PAS supporter aligned to Mat Sabu, or Mohammad Sabu, who is PAS deputy president.

He admitted that there was a split among the Islamic party's supporters, with one side favouring PAS president, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and the other leaning towards Mat Sabu who is seen as part of the faction in PAS that is committed to PR.

“But even so, no one wants Permatang Pauh to fall under BN. The amount of scandals being talked about in the topmost leadership is enough to put anyone off,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who has become the target of criticism over debt-laden investment fund 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and allegations about his family’s luxurious lifestyle.

These topics have also become the focus of relentless criticism from former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

But PR itself has had a rocky ride since last year which has seen PAS at odds with its allies, first over the “Kajang move” aimed at replacing Selangor's menteri besar, followed by the Islamist party's insistence on enforcing hudud punishments in its state, Kelantan. These differences have brought to the surface discord within PAS and from its allies with the conservative Hadi.

Hadi, to date, still has not issued a clear directive to PAS supporters in Permatang Pauh to vote for Dr Wan Azizah.

A 56-year-old businessman from Tanah Liat, who only gave his name as Man, said he, too, was a PAS supporter and would be voting in the May 7 polls.

“There are people trying to break up Pakatan Rakyat with the hudud issue. Actually, the leaders have patched up and those who threatened to spoil votes are outsiders,” he said.

Herbal medicine seller, Ramli Baharom, 64, from Kampung Guar Perahu has been voting in Permatang Pauh since 1986.

He said he has been an avid supporter of PR, especially Anwar.

“I sympathise with his family for the ordeal they have been facing. All this news of infighting in PR is political power play for the benefit of the dirtiest winner.

“If BN takes over, who is going to stand up for our rights in Parliament? A BN representative will only keep quiet and let his leader do whatever he wants like implementing the goods and service tax (GST).”

Fishmonger from Kampung Tanah Liat, Alias Rahman, 53, shares Ramli’s regard for Anwar, whom he considered a victim of political injustice.

However, his support for the PKR de facto leader, which started from the Baling incident in 1974, has not always been consistent. That year, Anwar was a leading figure in a protest against the poverty experienced by rubber planters and peasants in Kedah, who were hardest hit after a steep fall in the price of rubber.

“I stopped supporting him when he joined Umno and became a finance and deputy prime minister.

“But when he fell out of favour in 1998, I decided to support him again,” Alias said.

Despite the positive memories of Anwar in the PKR stronghold, not all constituents see him in a kind light.

Elias Md Yusof, 57, said although Anwar’s contribution to Permatang Pauh was undeniable, the former MP’s performance waned in his tenure as the opposition leader.

“When he was kicked out of the federal government, the quality of improvements dropped.

“I guess his access to allocations also flew out the window.

“Nowadays, it is not easy to get affordable housing aid in the area. I know of families who are forced to rent homes away from the constituency because of this. The condition of roads in Penanti has also been in bad shape for a long time,” he said.

Elias, who is also from Kampung Tanah Liat under Penanti, was unhappy that the rental he had to pay for a trading spot at the local market had been raised from RM60 to RM84.

“The state government is under PR and still this happens. Better vote BN and get better service,” he said.

Azmi Osman, also from Kampung Tanah Liat, said having BN at the helm of the federal government meant his chances of aid and employment opportunities would be higher.

He was also not impressed with Anwar despite the leader’s long-time popularity in the constituency.

“People talk about him a lot but I did not notice anything significant in his work as an MP before he went to jail. I have also never met him,” said the 32-year-old fishmonger.

Contractor Mohd Zaki Zainal Abidin, 42, said he used to support PAS but gave up after noticing little improvements in the state government under PR.

“Both sides are the same. I will not be voting although I am a registered voter,” he said, adding that he felt PAS was better off as a party by itself than as a partner in PR.

Anwar first won the seat in 1982 under Umno. Between 1999 and 2008, he was jailed on convictions of abuse of power and sodomy, during which time Dr Wan Azizah served as the MP.

Months after winning the seat in the 12th general election in 2008, Dr Wan Azizah vacated it to make way for Anwar's return to active politics.

In the last general election in 2013, Anwar won by 11,721 votes, gaining 58.56% out of the total 63,332 votes cast.

The seat fell vacant again after the Federal Court upheld his second sodomy conviction on February 10 and the Pardons Board rejected an application for clemency filed by Anwar's family against his prison sentence.

He is now serving a five-year jail term in Sungai Buloh prison.

Dr Wan Azizah is in a four-cornered fight with BN newcomer Suhaimi Sabudin, Azhar Shah Othman from Parti Rakyat Malaysia and independent candidate Salleh Isahak.

Some 70% of voters in the constituency are Malay and support from PAS is seen as crucial, especially in Permatang Pasir. The state seat, a PAS stronghold, contributed 66% of the 19,995 votes cast, earning Anwar a 6,632-vote majority. The other two state seats, Seberang Jaya and Penanti, are held by PKR.

- TMI