COMMENT Three days ago on Jan 23, I shared my thoughts on the Cameron Highlands by-election with some friends, penning this message: “I hope BN wins. Why?

“I always look at the candidates, not the party. BN’s Ramli (Mohd Nor) is a fresh face, a tough ex-cop, not entangled in dirty party politics before. He will be a welcome change in Parliament.

“DAP’s M Manogaran might be a known fighting cock but a tired, same-old, same-old face in Parliament. He is a former Teluk Intan MP.

“If I am a voter in Cameron Highlands, my vote will go to Ramli also because I think Pakatan Harapan could do with a little jolt. A government in power must not be invincible.

“Whoever wins, the people of Cameron Highlands will get the development and government assistance as promised. So they should be well taken care of. Now, they must vote wisely.

“Then again, I’m only giving my views from afar. I do not know the candidates personally. Neither am I familiar with Cameron Highlands, save for the tea I enjoy daily from there”, I concluded.

I was rooting for a BN victory because I would like to see a stronger opposition in the country. Another extra seat for the opposition BN probably means more than another one in the bag for the powerful Pakatan Harapan government.

Then again, Cameron Highlands was won by the BN, via MIC’s Sivarraajh Chandran in GE14. BN’s victory, in terms of numbers in Parliament, will not really make any difference to both sides.

But it does make a world of difference as a morale boost for the BN as this is its first win in a by-election since GE14.

Several contributing factors are quite clear for this BN’s victory. Let me just pin-point two.

The choice of BN candidate was superb. Ramli Mohd Nor is not a politician and not affiliated to any party. He is an independent candidate riding on the BN platform. He is untainted and carries no ‘baggage’ commonly associated with BN leaders of the past...