Anwar makes last-ditch effort for Bagan Pinang win

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian Insider

PORT DICKSON, Oct 10 — Making his first appearance in Bagan Pinang last night, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim gave everything he could to try and revive Pakatan Rakyat's (PR) flagging campaign to win the by-election here.

He called his former party racists, hypocrites and used virtually all derogatory reference there is in a last-ditch effort to stop what is looking to be a likely victory for Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN), the first in all eight by-elections held in the peninsula since the general election in 2008.

The probability of BN snapping its losing streak in by-elections since the March 8 polls, however, did not deter some 1,500 hardcore "Anwaristas" from turning up at his ceramah, the biggest turnout for the coalition's rally since the campaign started last Saturday for the Oct 11 vote.

It caused massive traffic congestion to the usually quiet semi-rural residential area where the ceramah was held at. People from all races, men, women and children, began showing up as early as 8pm despite knowing that the PKR de facto leader was only scheduled to arrive 1½ hours later.

As time went, the density of the crowd was almost to the point of absurdity. The queue was five minutes just to walk five steps forward, and the cars with plate numbers from all over the country parked by the side of the narrow street made it more difficult for PR workers-cum-traffic marshals to help reduce the congestion.

Anwar speaking at last night’s ceramah. — Picture by Choo Choy May

But it all seemed worth it for them as upon Anwar's arrival on the stump, the charismatic leader, through a mixture of humour and fierceness, brought palpable energy to the crowd. In just seconds, the slightly dull ambience transformed into a BN-hating frenzy.

"Who is the traitor to the Malays? Long have the have-nots suffered at the hands of the few rich elite in the form of Umno politicians," said Anwar, followed by thunderous applause from the angered crowd.

"The poor Malays are robbed in broad daylight, government contracts are awarded to crony companies, we see poor Malays, Chinese, Indian everywhere throughout all BN governed states, and they call me a traitor?" added Anwar.

His ceramah lasted for about half an hour. It was followed by other PR heavyweights like Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nik Aziz Nik Mat and PKR vice-president Azmin Ali.

Anwar will continue his campaign for PR today starting with a programme with the Indian community here in the evening.

The sacked deputy prime minister has been the subject of Umno racial attacks ever since the Bagan Pinang campaign started. On nomination day itself, books accusing him of selling out the Malays were distributed freely. In BN ceramahs, the same song has been rewound and played again and again.

PR, on the other hand, has been preying on its rival's tainted past. Former Umno vice-president and Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Tan Sri Isa Samad, who is facing PAS state commissioner Zulkelfy Ahmad, was suspended by the party after he was found guilty of money politics.

But the opposition's focus on Isa's past has not given PR the desired effect. And even if it did, PR will still have difficulty bagging the majority of the 4,000 postal votes which have been traditionally considered BN's “vote bank" and it is uncertain if the Anwar factor can do much to change things.

Bagan Pinang, which falls under the Teluk Kemang parliamentary constituency represented by PKR's Datuk Kamarul Salleh Abbas, is also known to be a traditional Umno stronghold.

In March last year, BN's Azman Mohammad Nor defeated Ramli Ismail of PAS by 2,333 votes. His death last Sept 4 paved the way for the country's ninth by-election in less than two years after the general election.