Headline Banking on loyalty for by election MediaTitle Date 03 Apr 2015 Color Black/white Section News Circulation 35,000 Page No 9 Readership 105,000 Language English ArticleSize 280 cm² Journalist ZAINAL EPI AdValue RM 2,326 Frequency Daily PR Value RM 6,978

Banking on loyalty for by­election Analysis by Zainal Epi zainal@mmail. com. my PETALING JAYA — The impending BN will field a candidate and going in as the Malay voters towards Anwar and wife Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency an underdog considering that constituents plays a very important role. If their loyalty by­election throws the question mark on or voters have been loyal to Anwar. expires, then PKR may face a rough ride, whether Datuk Serf and However, with the internal political although the party may still win but with a wife Datuk Seri Dr development within PKR where Anwar's lower majority. still have the loyalty of the constituents or hold is slowly slipping away since early last whether it has ended. year when Anwar created the Kajang Move The voters in Permatang Pauh have been to place his wife as Selangor menteri besar loyal to Anwar and his wife since 1982 and failed, there are doubts on whether but changes in the political landscape and constituents will still vote for whoever is minds along the years may have some going to be fielded by PKR. adverse impact on PKR's performance this Dr Wan Azizah has said she might stand time around. again if the party could not get any suitable Anwar's and the party's credibility has candidate, which literally means she is been on the decline since the failed Kajang expecting constituents to still be loyal to her Move last year and PAS's hudud agenda has and her husband. somewhat shifted the voters' trust towards Anwar's daughter Nurul Nuha's name has him and the party. been bandied around as the likely candidate Although PKR may retain the seat in the but the gamble is too risky as she is not only by­election, observers said the majority a newcomer who has never been involved in would be much reduced. politics, the voters may not like the politics "It is still an uphill task to move the of heritage or nepotism. voters' loyalty from Anwar and family but They had allowed Anwar to put his wife one thing for sure, the loyalty towards him as a replacement in 1999 and then back to is eroding by the day," said a PKR member him in 2008 and now, if his daughter is to close to the party headquarters. replace him, the loyalty may just diminish "However, it is still not enough for as it may be construed as building his own (BN) to unseat him in the kingdom. by­election given the fact that BN has no Permatang Pauh is a small town in credible candidate who can match Anwar's Seberang Perai, an area of about lOOsq km charisma." where most parts are still considered rural. Anwar had been MP for the constituency It has two institutions of higher learning, of the 59,000­odd majority Malay voters which are Universiti Teknologi Mara and a from 1982 until 1999 when he passed the polytechnic. baton to his wife after he was imprisoned Industrial development is minimal and the for abuse of power. young go to Butterworth and Penang island That was the year BN lost the seat when to work, leaving an older generation behind. his wife stood as candidate for a party (PR) partners support formed by the reformasi group that was may not be as solid as before given that backing Anwar against the imprisonment. PAS and DAP are at loggerheads and PAS He took the seat back upon his release in leadership has been distancing themselves 2008 where he swept into victory again in from Anwar since the Kajang Move. a by­election. The DAP may try to help as much as it On Wednesday, the Election Commission could but Chinese votes do not carry much (EC) will meet to fix the date for a by­ weight as they comprise just 24 per cent election since Anwar's appeal for pardon while Malays voters make up 70 per cent. from the Pardons Board was rejected on Based on all considerations, loyalty of March 16.