Sg Bakap by-election: A battle to win Malay votes in a Malay majority state seat, says don

KUCHING (July 11): The Sungai Bakap by-election was more than just a by-election to fill the vacant seat left by the passing of its former assemblyman Nor Zamri of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS).

It was a battle to win the Malay votes in a Malay majority state seat, said political scientist Datuk Prof Dr Jayum Jawan in a statement yesterday.

“It was, therefore, a contest between the coalition of Pakatan Harapan (PH) versus Perikatan Nasional (PN). By extension, it was a contest between two Malay leaders for the support of the community, which is between Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of Bersatu (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) that was represented by PAS candidate.

“Sungai Bakap is neither in PAS’ traditional stronghold states of Kelantan and Terengganu nor was it in Kedah. It is in a more moderate setting of Pulau Pinang and a state that is being run by PH through its partner DAP (Democratic Action Party).

“Thus, pundits would have seen Sungai Bakap as the backyard of PH and PKR. Indeed, it was their backyard, and that is why the defeat of PKR’s candidate representing the PH coalition was a disastrous tactical loss.

“Thus, it could be concluded that DAP’s rule in the state does not help. Neither was the fact that it was supposed to be PKR’s home ground,” said Jayum.

The defeat of PH in Sungai Bakap is bad for PKR and Anwar Ibrahim as that served to confirm what is already widely known, he claimed, adding that PKR and Anwar, who is the current Prime Minister, do not have Peninsula Malay support.

He said this is crucial as any Malay party and leader who wants to lead the federal government must have majority Malay support for it to be legitimate and seen to be one.

Besides, he stressed, it also confirms that the PH government, under the leadership of PKR and Anwar, is having the support of the non-Malays, such as DAP, and indigenous groups from Sabah and Sarawak, which cannot in the long run sustain the federal government where the majority of about 60 per cent are Malay, and about 60 per cent of the parliamentary seats are Malay-based as well.

Even with United Malays National Organisation (Umno) in the PH coalition, Peninsula Malay support for PKR and Anwar continues to be low or weak, he pointed out.

Thus, the stability of the PH federal government remains shaky as it was from the first day that it was formed, he added.

Due to such weakness, minority voices such as from Sabah and especially from Sarawak appear to be louder and stronger than what it really is.

But legislative and long-term gain from such weakness were not clear as the PH federal government balances the need to entertain Sarawak especially while ensuring that Peninsula Malay support for PKR and PH do not slip further to their opponents, for example PN and especially Bersatu, said Jayum.

“Thus, with the failure to win Sungai Bakap, PKR and Anwar need to be weary and worried as the 16th general election is slowly approaching. In order to return to power after the general elections, PKR and PH need to gain Peninsula Malay support.

“Otherwise, Anwar Ibrahim will be like two of his predecessors, a one-term prime minister,” said Jayum, a professor of Political Science of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and a fellow of Academy of Sciences, Malaysia.