PAKATAN Harapan leaders in Selangor are anticipating a tough but not insurmountable challenge against Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the state polls.

They believe the majority of voters have been convinced of the benefits of the PKR-led administration of the state in the past 15 years and that they will continue to vote for the coalition.

PKR’s Bukit Lanjan assemblyman Elizabeth Wong, however, warned that PH should remain cautious of PN’s growing strength, especially Islamist party PAS.

“PN has PAS, a party which was in the Selangor government for a decade, from 2008 to 2018.  PAS knows the ins and outs of Selangor, and it would know PH’s strengths and weaknesses here. 

“So it is going to be a very tough fight compared to other elections. We are really on our toes,” the PKR central leadership council member said.told The Malaysian Insight. 

At the same time, Wong said the voters are aware of the policies and initiatives of the state government.

“Our policies are very clear. Through well-developed policies, we are able to give economic-based aid, such as free water, insurance, healthcare and more. 

“It is very simple, whatever we earn, we want to give it back to the people,” 

Wong said people also prefer to have the same government at federal and state levels.

“In the general election, we secured key parliamentary seats in Selangor.

“Selangor people know what is at stake. This is not just any state elections. The Selangor people know the implications if PN were to become the state government.” 

Kuala Selangor PKR division chief Thiban Subramaniam said the people of Selangor know they are better off than the voters in states run by PN. 

“The state first introduced the Insurans Hayat Selangor programme, which provides free general insurance for six million people with RM10,000 in coverage in the event of death or total disability from an accident,” he said.

“Then the state started the Jelajah Ehsan Rakyat programme, which offers basic goods at subsidised prices.

“Then in 2020, the state introduced the Roda Darul Ehsan programme, which offers a B2 motorcycle licence subsidy of RM350, a RM150 p-hailing course and Socso contribution of RM70 per year. This very much benefited the youth.

“Shopping vouchers are given to specific groups of people.

“Selangor is always introducing something new and looking after its people. So why would Selangor people dump the government?”

Unity government 

Thiban said PH’s cooperation with Barisan Nasional (BN) at the federal level could give both the coalitions an edge over PN for tightly contested seats. 

“Votes for PH and BN combined could defeat PN in some seats,” he said.

Sungai Panjang assemblyman Mohd Imran Tamrin said PH and BN should work together in Selangor to gain strength.

“We cannot say it will be a PH government in Selangor but it will probably be a unity government after the state polls. 

“That would gain people of Selangor more advantages and benefits because the federal and state governments would be aligned,” Imran said. 

The Umno leader urged the people to vote for the unity government to lead the state. 

“In the previous two terms, the Selangor government and the federal government were not of the same coalition. 

“In PH’s third term, the federal government only lasted 22 months. I’m hoping the people will back the unity government in Selangor so that they will have a full term of the same leadership as the federal government,” he said. 

Imran said despite having been an opposition state over the years, Selangor still offered the most incentives to its people.

He said this would be further improved if the federal government were on its side.

Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu are expected to hold elections in July. – April 23, 2023.