RAIN did not dampen the spirit and resolve of Penangites to attend Pakatan Harapan’s mega-ceramah at Padang Kota Lama in George Town last night, which showcased candidates, such as Nurul Izzah Anwar and caretaker chief minister Lim Guan Eng.

If anything, the crowd swelled halfway through the event and stayed put on the soggy ground despite the fact that the rain did not cease. 

There was an air of festivity as party supporters waved flags bearing the PKR logo that PH agreed to adopt for GE14.

There were also the vuvuzelas and their spirited owners who trumpeted noisily whenever they agreed with what the candidates said. It is no wonder that vendors of vuvuzelas at the field were doing brisk business last night.

Student Wong Kai Teck, 17, came to the ceramah in support of what he called the Harapan movement.

“I hope to be part of the process to choose suitable leaders,” he said, although he felt that the chances of PH winning the elections were 50% to 60% because “Barisan Nasional has control over the Election Commission”.

Another student, Cheah Wei Zhien, 18, who was upbeat after noticing that more people had come to the ceramah despite the rain, said there was a need for a change of government that could lead the country to greater heights.

The crowd were buoyed by Penang state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow who said a change of government was predicted to occur in Putrajaya. This was well received by the electrifying sound of the vuvuzelas.

As a parting shot, he shouted to the audience, “Ini kalilah! Ubah!” The crowd gave a roaring “yes” and the vuvuzelas were blown to add to the cacophony of the moment.

Attendee Malini was invigorated by the big crowd that braved the rain but wondered whether it would eventually translate into votes for PH.

“Are some of them here merely out of curiosity?”

She felt that the political campaigns of the opposition were neater this time as there was only one flag, PKR’s, compared to the last general election where there were different flags of the opposition’s component parties, which she found distracting.

She was also elated by the fact that there are more younger candidates in GE14.

The crowd were attentive when Nurul Izzah, PH’s candidate for Permatang Pauh, took to the stage.

She said a win for the PH was needed to not only have Anwar Ibrahim released from prison, but also to ensure that those who mismanaged the economy and brought the country to ill-repute be brought to justice.

We must win to save Malaysia, she added, to right the wrong.

Her shouts of “reformasi” were reciprocated by the thunderous crowd.

As the night wore on, the determined crowd had already covered more than half of the wet field.

Taxi driver Selva, 48, who was excited to be at the event, said he couldn’t tell who would eventually win the electoral contest. Only God knows, he said. – May 8, 2018.