Umno must change Malay, Islam rhetoric to woo Rantau’s voters, say analysts

Mohd Farhan Darwis Mohd Farhan Darwis Updated 7 years ago · Published on 7 Mar 2019 3:50PM · 4 Comments

Muhammad Shamsinor Abdul Azzis says the party that wins Rantau will be the one that can cater to all races, and that strategies used in Semenyih cannot be used because the demographics in Rantau are different. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, March 7, 2019.

UMNO must change its narrative on Malay and Muslim interests to appeal to all races in the Rantau by-election, said political observers.

They said the Barisan Nasional lynchpin party cannot use the same strategies it had in the recent Cameron Highlands and Semenyih by-elections to appeal to Malay voters.

Umno focused its campaign in Cameron Highlands in overwhelmingly Malay areas, while in Semenyih, Malay voters comprised 69% of the electorate.

In the Rantau state seat, however, Malays are 53.43% of the 20,926 voters, based on the 2018 electoral roll.

The second largest demographic are Indians at 27%, followed by Chinese at 18.81%. Other ethnicities make up 0.75%.

“In Rantau, the party that wins will be the one that can cater to all races. Strategies used in Semenyih cannot be used because the demographics in Rantau are different,” said Universiti Malaya’s Muhammad Shamsinor Abdul Azzis at a forum today.

Awang Azman Awang Pawi says Mohamad Hasan, who is also acting Umno president, will have to temper the party’s image, especially following its formalised cooperation with PAS. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, March 7, 2019.

The forum analysed the March 2 Semenyih by-election which BN won, taking back the seat in Negri Sembilan it lost to Pakatan Harapan in the general election last year.

Other speakers on the panel of UM academics also said they wanted to see Umno change its narrative about Malay rights and Islam’s position in the upcoming campaign.

Awang Azman Awang Pawi said the Rantau incumbent, Mohamad Hasan, who is also acting Umno president, will have to temper the party’s image, especially following its formalised cooperation with PAS.

“He will have to change the narrative to convince voters that Umno’s cooperation with PAS is not to oppose the non-Malays,” the sociocultural and Malay studies lecturer said.

“Tok Mat (Mohamad) will change the Malay-Muslim narrative to one that is more open to all races. BN itself does not hold to a narrow ideology; that is how it was able to stay in power for 60 years.

“He must change the narrative to engage Indian voters in Rantau and ensure that BN can get 15% to 20% of the Indian vote,” Awang Azman said.

Marzudi Md Yunus, also from UM’s Academy of Malay Studies, said Mohamad would have the upper hand in the Rantau by-election as the incumbent with a track record of being the former Negri Sembilan menteri besar.

Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub from UM’s economics faculty said Mohamad was well-liked by locals due to his policies when he governed the state.

The Rantau by-election will be held on April 13. Nominations will be filed on March 30.

The by-election was called after the election court voided Mohamad’s win in the 14th general election last year after a petition by the PKR candidate S. Streram saying that he had been unlawfully prevented from entering the nomination centre to file his candidacy, which allowed Mohamad to win the seat uncontested. – March 7, 2019.

Sign up or sign in here to comment.

Comments

  • PAS-UMNO tie-up will be suicidal this time around. MH just did a wrong calculation.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • What craps are all these analysts talking. You think it is a child game. Umno has officially married the "incorrigible widow PAS" accepting whatever their devilish and radical Islamic extremes. Like the saying you are what you eat and your foul character are what the company you keep. Tapering it down by Umno in their campaigning for Rantau will only create a detest for their charade and may juz back fire as for now many has viewed Umno morphed into an extreme racist with self serving purposes thru the Malay agenda . Strangely UmnoPAS can thanks their lucky star that the span of by- elections are so far within the rising sentiments of protest by the rakyat to PH on their flip floping and wishy-washy ways of administration. For Umno to win Rantau is very likely and not a major concern. The street grapevine are very telling that many nons will be not voting UNLESS------------ PH has something extraordinary that will arouse the feel good factor and restore the trust and confidence for them to return back to their fold.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • Mohd Hassan called the non Malays as penumpang and that they dont own this land,He is a hardcore racist and the Non Malays in Rantau should teach these racist hard lesson not to play with race.Well loved,my foot.Kick this racist.

    Posted 7 years ago by Soma Govin · Reply

  • Toxic politics of race, religion, hatred, lies , fear by UMNO AND PAS MUST BE DEFEATED at Rantau. Perompak BN dan penipu PAS , both are abusing Islam to cheat the Malays.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tam Yan Cheng · Reply