SHAH ALAM, 31 Jan: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is expected to have an advantage compared to Barisan Nasional (BN) in terms of the usage of issues that can compel voters in the Kajang by-election which is to be held in the near future.
Political analyst, Dr Maszlee malik, said that among the issues expected to influence voters that will be brought up by PR in the by-election is the people’s increasing cost of living.
“PR has an advantage on issues revolving around the cost of living such as rising prices of goods, BN’s failure in fulfilling the promise made prior to the general election to not increase the price of essential goods or tariff rates of certain services,” he told Selangor Kini today.
Dr Maszlee, who is also a lecturer at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM), said that he expects Chinese voters in Kajang at the moment are still in the mood to choose PR candidates as their representatives in the Selangor State Assembly.
Meanwhile, BN is at the early stages of playing the issue of Lee Chin Cheh’s resignation as the Assemblyman for Kajang.
He said that the resignation issue will slowly disappear following explanations made by the PR leadership.
“Many were surprised with the resignation, regardless if they were supporters of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) or ordinary voters at the grassroots level. However, in these two to three days, explanation given by Rafizi, Dr Manuaty, Khalid Samad and other PR leaders will calm the situation. So the issue of the resignation will disappear.
“Meanwhile, the issue of the performance of the previous Assemblyman is not a big issue because when Anwar contests, many national issues will arise,” he said.
Dr Maszlee said that BN does not have much choice but to use their typical political strategy by personally attacking Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the PR candidate in the Kajang by-election.
“Tun Mahathir himself is beginning to not highlight the issue of the resignation of the PKR Assemblyman, but playing on Anwar’s personal issues. Personally attacking Anwar is also not a huge issue, but it is in fact the only option BN has at this moment,” he said.
