PAS is confident of retaining the Sungai Limau state constituency.
PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustapha Ali said Sungai Limau was a traditional PAS bastion and it would stay that way even with the new Barisan Nasional (BN) state government.
“It is hard to change the voters’ minds and given the voters’ sentiments towards the late Datuk Seri Azizan Razak, it is difficult for BN to penetrate and win Sungai Limau,” said Mustapha.
“There could be a reduced majority but there will be no victory for BN,” he said.
Mustapha said the party’s ideology has been entrenched in Sungai Limau for decades and breaking such an ideology was not easy.
However, campaigning has been slow as its rains every evening till late night and ceramahs could not be held in the open.
Most of the 22,722 voters are farmers and fishermen.
While PAS is confident and their election machinery is moving according to the surrounding pace, BN is seen to be more aggressive especially during the earlier part of the day.
BN have brought in their big guns including Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who announced development plans around Sungai Limau immediately after nominations on Wednesday.
A local Umno leader said Sungai Limau was formerly a Mentri Besar constituency (the late Azizan was MB) and he had given the constituents everything they wanted.
“The constituents have everything – water, electricity, internet, the irrigation system at the paddy fields is good and working well – so what is BN offering now? he asked.
“I know the voters well. Some are neighbours, others are related and I know they are happy.
“They have everything. There’s even a 7-Eleven in Sungai Limau town.
“So BN has to sell something for voters to buy. All I can see now is just one selling factor, Mukhriz’s clean image and nothing more.”
PAS still maintains its influence and BN has yet to gain any ground as those who attend BN programs are mostly outsiders and non-voters who work and stay in Sungai Limau, rather than the actual voters.
And BN strategists, who are stationed in Sungai Petani some 40km away from the constituency, are far from comfortable to admitting they are able to capture Sungai Limau from PAS at this point in time.
– themalaymailonline
