ANGER over cost of living issues among rural folk has spooked Barisan Nasional, said former BN leader Mohd Shariff Omar, who claimed that the ruling coalition was using fear tactics to get votes.

Shariff’s claims comes as Pakatan Harapan mounts a determined campaign to trigger a swing among rural Malay voters, which it believes will help it defeat BN in the 14th general election.

“They are telling kampung folk that they will lose their BR1M if they support the opposition,” said Shariff, who is now in Pakatan Harapan, referring to cash given under the People’s Aid Scheme (BR1M).

Shariff, a former BN deputy minister, said the ruling coalition had started using such manipulative threats due to the inroads PH was starting to make among rural voters – a traditional BN support base.

“They neglect to mention that BR1M does not come from BN, but from the people who pay GST to the government,” said Shariff, who is likely to be fielded in the Tasek Gelugor parliamentary seat in Penang.

“They are also telling kampung folk in Penang that it was the federal government that had given them the RM700 flood relief aid,” he told The Malaysian Insight in a recent interview. 
“We all know the money was from the PH state government. The federal government has not sent cash aid until today.”

The Penang government has distributed a total of RM29.32 million in aid to Penang households affected by the November 4 and 5 floods.

More than 47,000 families have received the one-off RM700 payment, the highest amount ever paid for flood relief aid by any government in Malaysia.

Shariff, who has joined PH component party Bersatu, said BN could not claim to have strongholds any more.
He said PH had its presence felt in all the villages, causing BN to worry and use manipulation and deception.

Although many rural folk still do not understand the scandals involving the federal administration, they were feeling squeezed by the rising cost of living and the goods and services tax (GST), he said.

“They blame the government. We explain to them that the situation is caused by the abuses and misappropriations.

“There are no BN MPs or division leaders talking about GST, cost of living or the 1MDB scandal. They all fear action will be taken against them.

“Some have gone as far as lying about GST bringing prices down. How? From birth until after death, people pay GST.”
Shariff said the people, including Tasek Gelugor folk, were beginning to question the federal government.

Shariff brought up what had happened to PKR’s Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, who will spend 30 months in jail for exposing the RM250 million National Feedlot Corporation scandal.

“The government gave a minister’s family the project to increase beef production so Malaysia could reduce beef imports. But the funds were spent on condos.

“The whistleblower gets jail time while those involved in the scandal are not even charged in court. Beef is RM32 per kg. Due to shortage, beef has to be imported. Surely the people are fed up.”

While more people grew disenchanted with BN, Shariff said PH and Bersatu were gaining popularity.

The signs were good, he said, citing strong turnouts at PH ceramah and people signing up to join Bersatu.

He said people acknowledged Bersatu members when they were out and about in their red shirts.

“I was having lunch at a restaurant one day when I noticed some patrons watching me. I ignored them.

“Then they came over to shake my hand. They said if I was wearing blue, they wouldn’t have bothered,” he said, referring to the BN colour. – February 11, 2018.