Whispering campaign to overcome fear factor in Putrajaya

comments     Yusri Nuqman     Published     Updated

The 'fear factor' is obviously a major hurdle for the opposition vying for the new Putrajaya parliamentary seat - which include the country's administrative capital - especially where civil servants are concerned.

So to get around that handicap, Parti Keadilan Rakyat candidate Abdul Rahman Othman has opted for a low-key approach for his campaign strategy.

"The fear factor among the voters is so serious because they are scared of losing privileges enjoyed in this new administrative capital," said Abdul Rahman.

Spacious government quarters with first-class amenities at a nominal rental is among the privileges that many could not bear to lose should they be discovered voting for the opposition.

"The government staff have been repeatedly warned of the consequences of voting the opposition," he explained.

But to his surprise, the conventional approach of campaigning such as ceramah (public talk) continue to draw big crowds.

The inaugural ceramah (with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang present) drew some 800 supporters. Last night's ceramah attracted a crowd of around 500.

"The crowd would have been definitely bigger if there had been no fear among them," added the Keadilan secretary-general.

Clever strategy

As a mean to overcome this factor, the opposition came up with a clever strategy to convince Putrajaya voters that their votes remain secret. The strategy, called 'bisikan Putrajaya' (Putrajaya whisper) was introduced there as soon as campaigning started.

"Putrajaya voters (who support the opposition) do not want to be seen," he said. So they spread the word around the town on the quiet.

He added that this has been possible with the assistance of local supporters who are working hard on it. "It seems to be working for now."

At his ceramah at Precinct 16 last night, Abdul Rahman urged supporters to intensify efforts to ensure victory. "I will fight for their rights should any action taken against them for voting against the BN," said the accountant-turn-businessman.

Meanwhile, a wife of the Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee who spoke in public for the first time ever impressed the crowd.

Speaking in an angry tone the young mother whose husband is accused of being a Jemaah Islamiah (JI) member condemned the injustice and treatment from the police and the court.

She also criticised the media for telling lies about her husband's alleged involvement in JI and expressed disappointment with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) for being 'toothless'.

Losing deposit

Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (the women and family development minister) also did not escape her wrath for failing to help the detainees' wives in their hour of need. The first election in this billion-ringgit township will be a straight fight between Abdul Rahman and Tengku Adnan, who is Kuala Lumpur Umno chief.

There are 5,079 registered voters in this constituency - the country's smallest parliamentary seat - consisting of 95 percent Malays, 2.7 percent Indians and 1.8 percent Chinese, and where 98 percent of whom are civil servants.

Tengku Adnan has also expressed confidence in winning this new seat, saying that he wanted to destroy the perception that the civil servants in the capital administrative centre were anti-establishment.

Backed by well-staffed and well-funded campaign, Tengku Adnan prefers walkabouts than giving ceramah, saying that this will have a personal touch with the voters.

He also predicts a big victory for him, going to the extent of saying that Abdul Rahman will lose his deposit.

Thus far the 'local' issue in this area has been the two police reports lodged by Abdul Rahman over an assault on his son by alleged Umno members and more seriously, an attempt by Umno supporters to persuade his nomination seconder Fathullah Uzir Abdullah to join Umno.



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