The event, dubbed the 'Campaign to Save the Nation', saw Kuala Kubu Bahru crammed with cars, some of which made the journey from outside the colonial town.
Some were from Tanjung Malim, with a few as far away as Sungai Besar in Perak. Among them were 50 people who chartered a bus to get from a plantation estate in Tanjung Malim to Kuala Kubu Bharu.
Top Pakatan leaders included PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali, vice-president Azmin Ali, strategic director Tian Chua, PAS supreme council member Dr Hatta Ramli and DAP's Kampung Tunku state representative Lau Weng San were among those seated on the makeshift stage.
Former Umno minister Zaid Ibrahim, one of those tipped to be PKR candidate for the by-election, was also present.
Both PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim and Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim arrived just before 11pm.
Hot button issues
The Pakatan leaders took turns to work the crowd. All began their speeches by offering their condolences to the late Hulu Selangor parliamentarian, Zainal Abidin Ahmad, who died last night of cancer.
“Zainal Abidin worked until his last breath to serve the people. He has chosen a path full of struggle and sacrifice,” Tian Chua said of the academician-turned-politician, who served a short stint as Selangor deputy menteri besar when the state was under Umno.
The speakers then moved into a campaign mode - one by one touching on familiar hot button issues - the missing jet engines, the Scorpene submarines contract, widespread corruption and others.
“At the last general elections, Malaysians made a decision that change should happen. In Selangor, Pakatan was given the mandate, and we give the best service in return,” said Khalid to the cheer from the crowd.
We seek a bigger majority
It is learnt that tonight's event was planned even before Zainal died.
According to Hatta, Pakatan was in the midst of organising the rally when Zainal Abidin passed away.
What is to be a 'Save the Nation' campaign has now turned into a by-election rally.
“The by-election is not too far away. This time around, we must make sure we win with a bigger majority,” shouted Kampung Tunku state rep Lau Weng San from the podium.
Gombak MP Azmin Ali, when it was his turn to speak, said that PKR wanted a candidate who can “carry on Pakatan's dream”.
“Selangor under Pakatan has brought in RM7 billion in investments in two years. In 2009 alone, Selangor provided employment to 20,753 people,” he said.
“The Selangor MB is using the assets of the state for the people, not build himself a RM24 million palace.”
Anwar speaks well past midnight
Anwar, who began his speech at 11.45pm, spoke for over half an hour until well past midnight. Despite that, most of the crowd stayed put.
The PKR leader, conscious of the sizable number of Indian voters in Hulu Selangor, took pains to point out that two key Hindraf activists who were detained under the Internal Security Act are with Pakatan.
“(T) Vasanthakumar, who is with PKR, is here,” said Anwar, adding that V Ganabatirau, who was also present, is a DAP member.
Anwar also took potshots at some of his critics.
"I'm a Muslim and Malay, but my 'taukeh' is a 'taukeh judi',” he said in an oblique reference to Malay rights Perkasa leader Ibrahim Ali.
"I'm Malay and Muslim, but I took money,” he continued, referring to the few PKR defectors.
Apart from his usual ceramah fodder, Anwar took a swipe at a certain Umno figure who has stakes in beer producer San Miguel.
He has the crowd in stitches with anecdotes of missing jet engines and unsinkable submarines.
Close fight expected
In the 2008 general elections, Zainal Abidin unexpectedly defeated MIC deputy president G Palanivel by a slim 198 vote majority.
Hulu Selangor is a semi-urban mixed seat of 63,539 voters of whom 53.9 percent are Malay, Chinese (26.7 percent) and Indians (19 precent). BN has a good chance of winning back the seat as it won all three state seats under the Hulu Selangor constituency in 2008 - Kuala Kubu Bharu (MCA), Batang Kali (Umno) and Hulu Bernam (Umno).
No comments:
Post a Comment