KANGAR: The hot and dry spell in the state since early this year may have caused discomfort to many, but it is a sheer blessing for Harumanis mango farmers.
The humid temperature in the early part of the year is crucial
for the fruits to grow, and this
has brought cheer to farmers, who are looking forward to a higher yield by the end of April to May.
This type of weather makes Perlis the only suitable place for Harumanis cultivation.
Its fragrant smell, golden colour and unique texture have placed the Harumanis in a class of its own. The fruit fetches a high price in local and international markets.
Just like Harumanis farmers expecting a higher yield, Barisan Nasional in Perlis is also looking forward to a favourable yield in the 14th General Election (GE14), which is expected to take place between the end of next month and early May.
The Umno-led Perlis BN government should have no problem defending the state, which has been the party’s fixed deposit for many terms.
In GE13, BN won 13 of 15 state seats, while PKR and Pas won the Indera Kayangan and Sanglang seats.
BN also retained its 100 per cent win for the three parliamentary seats in the state — Kangar, Arau and Padang Besar.
Like the Harumanis, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim is also synonymous with the state. It is as if Perlis is Shahidan and Shahidan is Perlis.
The political appeal of the 67-year-old minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and former menteri besar makes him a force to be reckoned with. His experience is once again being sought to lead the BN machinery in defending the state and its three parliamentary seats.
Rumour has it that Shahidan would either defend his Arau parliamentary seat or possibly return to contest a state seat.
Should Shahidan defend the Arau constituency, it would become the hot seat in GE14 since he will lock horns with Pas spiritual leader, Hashim Jasin, or Tuan Guru, as the latter is known among Pas supporters.
Shahidan’s reputation as an Umno giant in Perlis who has never been defeated will be put to the test yet again should he face Hashim, the only opposition representative who has won the Arau parliamentary seat.
Shahidan scored a huge victory when he defeated the late Pas spiritual leader, Datuk Dr Haron Din, for the seat in GE13.
Shahidan obtained 1,371 majority votes, after garnering 19,376 votes compared with Haron’s 18,005 votes.
For Hashim, although he had won the seat in the 1998 by-election by defeating Shahidan’s younger brother, Datuk Ismail Kassim, with a majority vote of 1,323, it will be a different battle this time around.
The development Shahidan has brought for the people in Arau and his easygoing or hemoi attitude have given him an advantage over Hashim, who is seen as a conservative ulama.
Shahidan knows Arau like the back of his hand. Besides winning the seat in GE13, Shahidan had won the seat in GE7 and GE8, and was the former Tambun Tulang assemblyman, a seat under the Arau parliamentary constituency, for four terms since 1995.
Besides his services as member of parliament and an assemblyman, Shahidan is also expected to benefit from a three-cornered fight between BN, Pas and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
Political analysts believe BN stands to benefit from the split in votes among Pas and Pakatan Harapan supporters.
Perlis Pakatan Harapan chairman Amier Hassan is being speculated as the frontrunner candidate to represent PPBM, based on his experience as the political secretary to former Perlis menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu.
Should this happen, it will be a re-run of a political battle between Amier and Shahidan.
In the 1996 Umno election, Amier, who was then Arau Umno division vice-chief, had challenged Shahidan for the top divisional post, but lost.
As an Umno splinter party, PPBM’s influence in Perlis has yet to be put to the test, but the party is banking on former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s reputation to woo supporters.
Besides Arau, the Kangar parliamentary seat will be another seat to watch following speculation that Umno Youth executive council member Datuk Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jahaya will try his luck for the second time this general election.
His opponent is slated to be Indera Kayang assemblyman from PKR, Chan Ming Kai, and a yet-to-be-revealed candidate from Pas.
It is expected to be a tough battle since Fathul Bari had lost to Pas in his general election debut in the Sanglang state seat five years ago, while Chan sprung a surprise by defeating a BN candidate from MCA.