Rantau campaign turns personal

RANTAU, April 9 — With four days to polling for Rantau state seat by-election, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan or Tok Mat’s character is under attack.

His defence of the seat is no easy task. Pakatan Harapan challenger Dr S. Streram from PKR is chipping away at his support among Indians and Malays. The Chinese voters are loyal to DAP.

The PH campaign is turning negative as it is on the defensive on other issues.

The coalition is coming hard at Barisan Nasional (BN) as there is more than the state seat at stake. The result could determine the future of both.

For Tok Mat, losing could be fatal to his political career that has risen with BN’s two recent by-election victories and his Umno’s growing cooperation with PAS.

MCA and the MIC ― representing the Chinese and Indians ― are also regaining confidence while Umno is continuing its revival.

Tok Mat’s defeat could derail all this and the partnership with PAS that is setting the theme for the next general election contest: Malay unity versus liberals.

In Rantau, Tok Mat is still remembered as the former mentri besar who helped develop it.

But Streram and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are trying to undo this.

For Anwar, the contest is also a bellwether of his political future.

He has taken a primary role in the campaign and victory for Streram will reinforce his claim on the prime minister’s post.

However, he will have to get PKR to close ranks amid talk of rifts.

PKR must also prove its appeal to Indian voters.

Rantau has 20,926 registered voters who are 55.5 per cent Malay, 26 per cent Indian, 18.5 per cent Chinese, with Others making up the remainder.

PKR has not appealed to the Malay voters here, so it is trying to break BN’s hold by winning over the Indians and banking on DAP delivering the Chinese vote.

With four days left to polling, PH is trailing BN in the race that will shape the political landscape for the longer term.