Obviously there are many reasons and factors which resulted in PAS-Pakatan Rakyat winning the Kuala Terengganu by-election with a handsome margin. Among the major issues and factors could be as follows:

Right candidate - Many believe that the choice of PAS president was the right choice, with Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut being the experienced, people-friendly, humble, caring and gentleman politician. That is what the people want.

They don’t need a high-profile ‘Datuk’ or deputy minister or minister to represent them. All the rakyat want is someone who could represent their voice, could help them, assist them in time of need (not during election times only), who is humble and respects the rakyat irrespective of their political inclination, religion or ethnicity.

That is what they saw in Wahid, but not so much in BN’s candidate.

Government-sponsored propaganda by the media - This is an important communication channel to the masses, yet the government/BN has been very wrongly using it to ridicule the opposition, which essentially made the rakyat meluat and reject whatever propaganda by BN, even if it was true.

BN leaders should have refrained from ridiculous remarks such as tak ghak secetong (very useless) about PAS when the wise rakyat knows the reality very well. They do not need to cheat the rakyat with unkind propaganda. Voters of today are much wiser and more well-read than the voters of the 70s or 80s.

BN should realise who they are talking to and not take them for granted.

Money politics/ rasuah - This is an issue which has been consistently rejected by the rakyat . Yet the BN has been openly playing the money game over and over again, from all levels. If BN wants to get some respect from the rakyat, then be serious about combating this disease and not offer lip service and very selective prosecution.

The rakyat are wise enough to gauge whether the government is damned serious and sincere in eradicating and curing this Umno/BN disease.

Hardworking united PR leaders and workers - Party members, sympathisers and supporters were seen to be working very cohesively among them as a team. Whether they are leaders of DAP or PAS or PKR, they worked as a team, openly and sincerely.

They don’t need to be fed with pitih like Umno/BN. Workers of Umno/BN must be given money, money and more money for them to move. They are just like ‘wage-earners’ whereas the workers of Pakatan Rakyat are real workers, sincere in their struggle and jihad . Most of them don’t really mind not getting any money and many used up their own savings for the struggle.

That is the very big gap between Umno/BN and PAS/PR as far their basis of struggle are concerned. Umno will never win the hearts of the people/Malays like PAS has.

Hypocrisy of BN - This is the reality as well as perception of a large section of the populace. BN or the government normally hits hard at the opposition, using all kinds of means and the media, while they themselves do not really care what the rakyat wants. The ISA for example, has been strongly voiced out by the rakyat as inhumane or unnecessary.

Yet the BN-led government is damned heartless and never tried to negotiate or wisely discuss with the rakyat on possible changes to such a draconian act even if they don’t want to totally abolish it.

The ego of Umno/BN must be reduced to the floor-level if they want to get better respect from the rakyat .

A strong united PR despite BN’s control of the media - Umno/BN has been in the state of denial, over and over again. They don’t want to accept the fact that they are declining in popularity among the rakyat , whilst Pakatan has been getting better in terms of unity in working for common objectives.

They are also wise enough to discuss openly issues which are quite sensitive like hudud or the NEP. Pakatan is indeed getting wiser by the day while BN keeps telling themselves that they are still good or even better than before. Umno/BN, it is time for you to stop day-dreaming.

Get yourselves to the boardroom, to the drawing board, and do something about your rotten coalition – buck-up or just kill it. Umno/BN is only hearing, and not listening. The rakyat say a lot of things when the PM, DPM and ministers went round to meet the r akyat .

Yes they hear but they hardly listen to the wishes of the rakyat , be they Umno members or otherwise. As a result, many of their members either give their support to Pakatan - openly or otherwise - or they just forgot about the party altogether.

PR leaders are down-to-earth. Let be honest about it. Whether we are talking about PAS’ spiritual leader or its president or leaders or DSAI or Lim KS or Lim GE or the MBs of the Pakatan states, they are all down-to-earth leaders, humble and willing to meet and chat openly with the rakyat .

Not like Umno/BN leaders who are seen and perceived to be highly egoistic and not easy to be with. That kills the BN. Certainly there are many other factors for why the rakyat rejects Umno/ BN.