By Muna Khalid and Erma Idayu Mohd Yusop
PENANG, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- Even 11 months after the tumultuous 12th general election, the dust has not settled in the local political scenario.
With the Bukit Gantang parliamentary and Bukit Selambau state by-elections to be held simultaneously on April 7, political parties will hit the campaign trail again, barely a month after the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary by-election.
Political pundits believed that the by-elections would gauge the people's acceptance of the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as he would have already took over the reins from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi by then.
It would be an acid test for Najib whether he would be able to get Umno leaders and members to close ranks after party elections at its general assembly from March 24 to 28.
The by-elections will also be a test for the incoming Umno deputy president and deputy prime minister as in previous by-elections, the deputy prime minister took charge of the campaigning.
Universiti Sains Malaysia Social Science Studies senior lecturer Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the Umno leadership transition in March would lead to changes in the party, which would have a bearing on the people's support for the party.
"Najib faces a daunting task of uniting Umno members, who would still feel the bruises of party elections.
"Umno has to ensure that the losers will not sabotage the by-elections," he said, adding that Umno's debacle in the last general election and subsequent by-elections was not because it had weakened or that the opposition had gained the upperhands, but because of sabotage.
For the opposition, it had alleged that the Election Commission (EC) sided with the Barisan Nasional (BN) by holding the by-elections simultaneously, with the nomination day on March 29, a day after the Umno General Assembly.
The EC refuted PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub's insinuation that the date was chosen to please the BN, especially Umno, to ensure that the party's general assembly went unhindered.
On the contrary, Sivamurugan said PAS should look at the date positively as it would give the opposition an advantage over Umno, which would be busy with the tussle for top posts in the Supreme Council and its wings.
"Besides Umno, MIC will also be having its elections for top posts including the presidency in March.
"Umno and MIC need to divide its time between the by-elections and party elections whereas the opposition can concentrate on the by-elections," he said.
Sivamurugan said the opposition had the tendency of being selective in its attitude towards decisions made by the authorities.
"We should not be selective in our attitude by objecting certain things which don't work our way. The opposition is populist in nature as it strives to win sympathy votes," he said.
On Perak politics, he said the opposition felt that the sentiment at the grassroots at the moment was in its favour but was worried that it would no longer be the case in the next general election.
On the other hand, BN is ready for the crunch as echoed by Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that party elections would not be a stumbling block in the coalition's preparation for the by-elections.
"We have enough machinery and manpower at the divisional and branch levels. This is not a problem for us," said Muhyiddin, who is vying for Umno deputy-presidency.
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