SHAH ALAM: The last lap in the race for the Sungai Kandis by-election ended at 11.59pm yesterday.
PKR candidate Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni and Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Lokman Noor Adam worked their best to win the voters’ hearts and minds.
While it is a three-cornered fight, in reality, the absence of Independent candidate, K. Murthy, had allowed the stage to be utilised solely by Zawawi and Lokman.
It was a campaign between two reformist veterans, with each candidate bent on promoting their chosen issues — Zawawi championing issues and interests close to the hearts of locals, while Lokman raising national issues.
However, it did not take long for the race to be tainted as personal attacks were made against Zawawi.
A video clip of a man, which resembled him performing the “gelek” dance, went viral.
Such an allegation against the Al Fateh religious school principal was damaging to his reputation, whose background includes receiving education from Al Azhar University in Egypt and a co-founder of a women shelter in Jalan Kebun.
Zawawi issued a denial and lodged a report on the matter.
Lokman’s campaign, on the other hand, touched more on Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto, the opposition’s strength in the Selangor state assembly, national and state policies. This did not gain much traction among voters in Jalan Kebun and Johan Setia.
Both candidates seemed bent on raking in votes from Pas members and supporters, who pooled in more than 7,000 votes in the 14th General Election (GE14).
Lokman gained an advantage when Pas leaders in their rejection of PH, encouraged party members to vote for BN.
But Zawawi’s clout could not be underestimated as he was well-liked by Pas voters due to his gentle disposition, which was in stark contrast to Lokman’s hardlined approach.
The final week of the campaign saw the two candidates receiving boost when top political leaders joined their campaign.
The campaign saw Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, his men and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak going down to the ground to campaign for Lokman.
BN is seeking to shave off the majority attained by PKR in GE14 if the coalition loses the race.
The campaign by Umno and BN leaders was focused on decisions made by the PH government.
Apart from issues ranging from the allowing schoolchildren to wear black shoes, to the Selangor water industry restructuring issue, BN attempted to stir the sentiments of the 70 per cent Malay voters in the constituency on matters relating to Malay rulers and Islam.
In the other camp, PH leaders continued to be busy with campaigning despite being tasked with their jobs in Parliament
and government.
Leaders including PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, PKR vice-president Dr Xavier Jayakumar, PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Menteri Besar Selangor Amirudin Shari came armed with information and facts that they were privy to with their current position since May 9.
They are ready to take on the challenges thrown by BN, as seen with Amirudin, who during a campaign round held with PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday in Bandar Puteri, refuted Najib’s accusations on Syarikat Pengeluar Air Sungai Selangor Sdn Bhd with a fiery speech.
Anwar’s visit to campaign for Zawawi, since July 31, had undeniably upped the ante in the race for Sungai Kandis.
And other than Anwar, Azmin, Amirudin, Saifuddin and Dr Xavier, the final night of PH’s campaigning featured leaders in the likes of PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Amirudin, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, to ensure Zawawi wins with a bigger majority today.