PEKAN, July 5 — Many people would presume that the retention of the Chini state seat by Barisan Nasional (BN) with a landslide victory was largely driven by a lack of strong opposition after PAS threw their support behind BN, apart from Pakatan Harapan not fielding a candidate.
This resulted in the BN candidate, Mohd Sharim Md Zain, a local boy from the second generation of Felda Chini 3, being opposed by only two independent candidates, from outside the Chini constituency.
But, the co-operation between the two biggest Malay-based political parties, PAS and BN, under the PAS-BN Muafakat Nasional spirit, and a new alliance of parties in Perikatan Nasional, could be viewed as a preparation for the 15th General Election (GE-15), especially in the new normal following the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the factors for the landslide victory were due to the effectiveness of the BN-PAS election machinery under the Muafakat Nasional pact, besides the background of a good young candidate.
He explained that, during meetings in the war room, it was predicted that the BN candidate would only receive around 10,000 votes in the by-election.
“In the war room, we expected to receive around 10,000 votes or a little bit more only... after taking into account several factors. It was a very big triumph indeed when we won with a majority of 12,650 votes compared to the majority prior to this,” he added.
The Chini by-election saw BN candidate Mohd Sharim, 41, winning by a 12,650-vote majority after obtaining 13,872 votes to beat two independent candidates, namely, Tengku Datuk Zainul Hisham Tengku Hussin, 64, who won 1,222 votes and Mohd Shukri Mohd Ramli, 49, (137 votes).
Both the independent candidates lost their deposits.
Mohd Sharim had increased the 4,622-vote majority of the late incumbent Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Harun who secured 10,027 votes in GE-14.
Since the outset, when BN nominated Mohd Sharim, who is also Pekan Umno Division committee member and Kuantan Felda Youth Council chairman, as the candidate, the BN election machinery and PAS, were of one heart, and had worked hard to ensure the victory of the BN candidate.
“This resulted in the effectiveness of the BN-PAS machinery in working as a team, besides receiving the blessing of the Perikatan Nasional leaderships, an alliance of several government parties at the Federal level.
Ahmad said the co-operation under the Perikatan Nasional government, which was first translated in the Chini state by-election, was not merely on paper.
“It addition, it also proves that the Muafakat Nasional combination, with the blessings of Perikatan Nasional, do not only occur on paper but is a political reality. With a majority vote of 12,650 votes, it also proves that what was written on the paper, was also more or less the same as the real politics that took place at the by-election,’’ he said.
“The effectiveness of the campaign machinery also gives a signal to the people on the capabilities of the Perikatan Nasional government as a coalition of political parties that can work together to advance the agenda on the people’s welfare and the nation’s progress,” he added.
The BN victory was also due to the presence of many voters who came back to the village to vote in the by-election although the by-election would not make any significant impact or change the country’s political landscape at the state or national level.
The voter turnout was 74 per cent yesterday, surpassing the 70 per cent target made by the Election Commission, after taking into consideration the adherence to the strict standard operating procedure as the country is still facing the Covid-19 threat.
Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Centre for Policy Research and International Studies lecturer, Dr. Ainul Adzellie Hasnul opined that the BN landslide victory with a big majority in the Chini by-election would strengthen its position at the state assembly in Pahang as a BN stronghold.
“Voters staying outside insisting on returning to vote can be translated as the appreciation of the people for BN as one of the important parties in the Perikatan Nasional government.
‘’This is a sign that people are happy with the government’s leadership led by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who look after the welfare of the people despite being in power for only the past four months,” she said,
Prior to this, Muhyiddin and Bersatu had pledged their full support to Mohd Sharim, and the Bersatu election machinery was also mobilised to assist the BN candidate.
There were 20,990 registered voters comprising 20,972 regular voters, and 18 early voters with 8,000 staying outside the Chini constituency. — Bernama
