JOHOR While election candidates have put their lives on hold to campaign for the 13th general election, it is business as usual for a PAS candidate who only hits the streets in the evenings and on Sunday.

NONE Incumbent Sungai Abong state assemblyperson Dr Sheikh Ibrahim Salleh continues to operate his medical clinic at the usual hours and only comes out to campaign after 6pm.

"The clinic is where I campaign. Each day I see between 50 to 100 patients who are voters. If I close my clinic, I'm going to lose," Sheikh Ibrahim told Malaysiakini .

His unique style has led to concerns within ally DAP whose candidate is contesting in neighbouring Bentayan which - together with Bukit Naning where PKR is contesting - and Sungai Abong forms the parliamentary constituency of Bakri .

However, Sheikh Ibrahim, 53, insisted that the key to winning, particularly in a Malay-majority constituency such as his, is to work smart rather than work hard.

NONE He made his point when he went on a walkabout at the pasar malam together with incumbent Bakri MP Er Teck Hwa - a substantial number of the predominantly Malay crowd went up to shake his hand rather than the other way round.

Sheikh Ibrahim noted that trying to convince the Malays, especially those in the villages, is no easy task and the key lies in their long-term welfare, to which he has attended daily for the last five years.

"If it is a parachute candidate trying to convince the Malay population in the villages, then he's a goner," he noted.

Sungai Abong has a population of 51 percent Malays, 45 percent Chinese and three percent Indians. The seat was won by PAS in 2008 by a 1,550-vote majority.

15 pakatan winnable parliamentary seats in johor 2 Sheikh Ibrahim managed to get about 30 percent of the Malay support in the last general election - a significant feat as other areas only provided between 15 percent and 20 percent. In the urban centres, his Malay support was more than 40 percent.

"Umno has been here for a long time and they've sowed the notion within the people that Malay leaders must be soft-spoken and non-confrontational,” said PAS' Sungai Abong election director Ehsan M Noor.

"So our method has not only been successfully in winning more Malay support - even those in Umno respect our doctor.

'Ceramahs not the way to go'

Ehsan said that the conventional ceramah is not the way to go for the Malay vote as seen in the poor turnout at an event by BN's Bakri candidate Lee Ching Yong.

Lee, coincidentally, was in Sungai Abong while Sheikh Ibrahim was going on his walkabout.

NONE While Pakatan supporters may gleefully think that BN was just not getting support, the same reception has been received by Pakatan in Malay-majority areas.

"The best way to get the Malay vote is still through face-to-face and door-to-door campaigning," said Ehsan, adding that a clinic is among the avenues for this.

BN's Sungai Abong election representative Mohd Radzi Amin concurred that Malays tend not to want to attend ceramahs so that they do not appear partisan to their peers, especially within a community where Umno still has strong roots.

Sungai Abong is also unique. Unlike many other Malay-majority areas, it is largely urban or semi-urban, with some villages on the outskirts.

"The Malays used to be scared but they aren't anymore, the Chinese are saying 'Ubah' (change), there is nothing to be scared, let's change," said a 33-year-old burger-stall owner who only wanted to be known as Ali.

NONE Such talk would be taboo in more conservative Malay areas, but even Mohd Radzi (left) acknowledged that Umno is facing a different ball game here.

"The Malays in the town area somewhat elitist as many are professionals such as engineers and doctors. This was why Umno has also put forward a doctor to contest here," he said.

His boss is Dr Harris Salleh who has been tasked with recapturing the state seat from PAS.

Asked why urban Malays would lean towards Pakatan, Mohd Radzi said it is because of the various promises made by PAS.

Despite the unique make up of the Malay-majority constituency, Mohd Radzi said he is confident that Umno can retain the majority of urban Malay support.

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