APRIL 1 — In the federal administrative capital of Putrajaya, blue Barisan Nasional (BN) flags have “sprouted up” along the sides of many roads in the surest sign that the election is truly near.
But it was almost certain that polling is just around the corner when Putrajaya residents started receiving token cans of biscuits and sacks of rice, even when clearly they are not needy enough to receive food aid.
Just don’t call it campaigning. After all they do not come with the caveat that one must vote three-term incumbent Tengku Adnan Mansor — current minister of Federal Territories and Umno secretary-general who has held the seat since it was first created in 2003.
Don’t call it campaigning even when the cans and sacks are emblazoned with his face, and Umno and BN logos, and the slogan of his ministry — “Wilayah Dihatiku” (Territories in my heart).
Don’t call it campaigning especially when some of those who received such goodies have no qualms taking them, even knowing exactly what they mean. And who could blame them? A free sack of rice means one less sack to buy, and roughly RM20 saved.
This sort of thing is, of course, not unique to Putrajaya or even this year.
It has been part of our politics for so long that it has come to be expected, no less by voters themselves.
I was covering Kelantan last week, and was bemused by the prevalence of fire sales organised by BN; they sell groceries, fresh food and dry goods — purportedly as a way to lighten the load of voters who are facing rising cost of living.
Billboards of such sales were erected in the towns where such sales were held, of course with the faces of Umno candidates in those places.
The point here is that we know, and acknowledge that the public is facing rising cost of living, but chose instead such unsustainable means to temporarily remedy the symptoms. Left unstopped, there is always the possibility that voters will forever be indebted, and obliged to return their gratitude with votes.
These handouts are part of what is called “pork barrel politics”, and lest this piece be accused of saying what it is not, it is important to define the term for the clueless.
Originating from the United States, the term refers to spending which would benefit constituents of a politician in return for political support, in forms of votes or campaign contributions. It has long been perceived with a negative connotation.
There are several reasons why pork barrel politics can still happen, even in a fairly prosperous seat such as Putrajaya.
The most obvious is the control of State apparatus by the ruling coalition, and indeed there is a very blurred line between the two in the eyes of the public.
With the top echelons of institutions being held by some senior civil servants who have earlier massively benefited from acquiescence to the status quo, and they see no reason to cease such relationships.
You may remember the school in Presint 14 in October last year, which reportedly had teachers and students waving Umno flags and even singing the party anthem, with Tengku Adnan as a guest.
Despite public furore, it was simply downplayed by Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid, with Tengku Adnan and even the principal himself brushing it off as a “normal occurrence”.
As for the biscuits and rice, some of them were distributed by leaders of mosques who do not see anything wrong with using Islam and places of worship as a political tool of the ruling elite.
Putrajaya authorities had of course found putting up BN flags early not a problem, despite the Election Commission expressing its concern about campaigning well before Parliament is dissolved.
Putrajaya Corp (PPj) president Datuk Seri Hasim Ismail told Malay Mail that its bylaws forbid displays of political party flags and banners in public spaces before the election campaign period, but insisted it has discretion in allowing them.
“The whole Malaysia is like that now. Everyone now is already in the election mode. The entire nation. Not just in Putrajaya,” he said.
Is it any surprise when both PPj and Kuala Lumpur City Hall fall under the Federal Territories Ministry?
The call for such territories to be emancipated, and to restore the third vote has never been stronger.
But underpinning such attempts, especially in trying to capture the Malay votes, is the feeling of entitlement within the community itself.
Some Malay voters almost expect to receive handouts and goodies in return for their allegiance.
It is undeniable, that for some, the handouts really do have significant effect on their lives — it is a matter of eating that day or not. Every little helps.
But this condition, and the feeling of entitlement, has been exacerbated by how some assistance and preferential treatment has been administered to this country — from education quotas to home discounts to contracts — along racial rather than poverty lines.
As election draws nearer, we can only see more such handouts and goodies being distributed as Malaysia struggles to go past pork barrel politics.
Already, we are seeing millions and billions of ringgit splashed around on projects and programmes that have suddenly been announced at this moment in time.
Just don’t call it campaigning.
*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
