KUALA LUMPUR: Pas recycled the same tried and tested formula it used in the 15th General Election (GE15) for the Kemaman by-election held yesterday, resulting in a bigger margin win against Barisan Nasional (BN).
Political observers said the same formula was responsible for triggering the green wave which is still alive up to this point where it appeases the conservative Malay majority.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Perdana Centre's Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics political analyst Dr Mazlan Ali said that the voters in the east coast are easily influenced by traditional Malay conservative sentiments.
He said that the 3R (race, religion and royalty) sentiment was played as it was a formula that worked in the recent GE15.
"Before BN joined Pakatan Harapan (PH), Pas won with a comfortable majority of 27,000 over votes but after they joined, the majority swelled even more.
"Pas used the sentiments of liberals and anti-DAP to associate with Umno, which is a very effective strategy to win votes.
"This resulted in a transfer of votes from BN in favour of Pas," he told the New Straits Times today.
On the other hand, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin Faculty of Law and International Relations senior lecturer Dr Wan Rohila Ganti Wan Abdul Ghapar said Pas' success did not happen overnight.
She said the unity government is often portrayed as a less Malay, less Islamic and liberal friendly government even before the by-election itself.
Efforts taken by the unity government to wipe this sentiment so far are still unsuccessful.
Pas, being seen as 'Islamic and more Malay' would be the only choice left even though Pas has not done something extraordinary.
"Pas managed to fill the political gap that Malay voters are looking for.
Plus, the Malays have lost confidence and trust in Umno due to ethical, corruption and mismanagement issues, and to add more salt to the wound, its alliance with PH.
"That was why Umno lost another half of its votes yesterday. It went to Pas," she said.
Pas' bet to field Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as its candidate proved successful, with a bigger majority in the latest Kemaman by-election outing.
The party's vice-president won 64,998 votes, a substantial majority of 37,220, while BN's General (Rtd) Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor only secured 27,778 votes.