TAPAH: The momentum of the democratic process has yet to fully resonate on the ground for the Ayer Kuning state by-election.
Bernama checks in Ayer Kuning found a subdued political atmosphere, with minimal display of party flags and posters, and a notable absence of large-scale campaign rallies or ceramah.
According to political analyst Dr Siti Noranizahhafizah Boyman, the campaign thus far has been relatively low-key, with most candidates opting for door-to-door outreach - a strategy considered effective in building voter rapport and securing grassroots support.
The senior lecturer from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) said that candidates and political parties appear to be exercising caution in their campaign strategies, likely in an effort to avoid controversy.
From her observation, she said that contentious 3R issues - pertaining to race, religion, and royalty - have been noticeably absent from campaign discourse, marking a departure from the tone and tactics seen in previous by-elections.
“However, I would like to stress that domestic and local issues seem to have yet to be given full attention,” she said in a recent interview with Bernama.
Siti Noranizahhafizah also anticipated that, starting tomorrow, candidates and contesting political parties will begin to unveil their ‘main arsenal’, which is expected to intensify the campaign atmosphere in Ayer Kuning.
“Barisan Nasional’s (BN) decision not to hold large-scale political rallies presents an opportunity for Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) to capitalise on bigger campaign platforms as a means to draw voter attention,” she noted.
Prior to this, BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that no large-scale ceramah would be held during this campaign period, with BN instead prioritising a people-centric, door-to-door engagement strategy.
According to Siti Noranizahhafizah, the momentum during the first seven days of campaigning, which began right after the nomination on April 12, appears to favour BN candidate Mohamad Yusri Bakir, who enjoys strong support from the ruling coalition, which has been actively involved in his campaign trail.
Echoing Siti Noranizahhafizah’s view, a senior lecturer in political science at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Dr Jamaie Hamil, noted that the subdued campaign atmosphere is not unusual, given that Ayer Kuning is considered a BN stronghold, making it a challenging battleground for opposition parties seeking to win over voters.
Dr Jamaie suggested that opposition parties may lack the political “ammunition” needed to mount a significant challenge against the incumbent, though he anticipates that they may ramp up their efforts with large-scale rallies in the second half of the campaign period.
“At present, based on what I observe on social media, the opposition is merely playing on trivial issues,” he remarked.
The Ayer Kuning sees a three-cornered fight between Yusri of BN, Abd Muhaimin Malek of PN, and Bawani KS of PSM.
The Election Commission (EC) has set the polling day for April 26, with early voting set to take place on April 22.
