ANALYSIS DAP’s decision to field Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud in the Teluk Intan by-election may have been motivated by their attempt to break racial barriers.

But in the constituency’s  Malay heartland, being a Malay does very little to change the minds, or the hearts of the villagers.

“Well, the candidate is Malay, but the boss (taukay) is Chinese. The BN candidate, the candidate is Chinese, but the boss (tauke) is Malay,” says Sunar Senin ( right ), a 50-year-old man met at a coffee warung (stall) by the roadside near Changkat Jong.

Dyana has not come down to campaign in this northernmost tip of the constituency, extending from Kampung Changkat Jong to Kampung Ayer Hitam, over 20 kilometres from the main Teluk Intan town, long regarded as an Umno stronghold area. But the people here do not seem eager to catch a glimpse of her either.

“Here, it’s still about local issues. Development issues. GST, and what not (DAP’s campaign message), it doesn’t affect a majority of us here. It’s about roads, getting approval for new facilities, that’s how it is in this village,” explains Sunar, who, despite admitting that he campaigned for the BN, has nothing  against those who vote for the  DAP.

“Everyone has got their taste (citarasa). It’s not about race, there’s nothing racial. Just issues. The Chinese in Batu 12 (a Chinese new village nearby) have been asking for a school for ages from the BN. They did not get it and they started voting DAP. But after DAP was elected, when they come here, we didn’t get much,” he said.

In fact, in an area where a glass of coffee costs only 80 cents, DAP might find very few takers for their agenda on living costs.

Ballot box exposes open-mindedness

The youths have started voting in numbers for the opposition, he acknowledges, but attributes this to their open mindedness.

“They are more exposed. More open minded. For them, they don’t have to worry, even if they vote for the opposition their roads will still have lights,”  he said, in a clearest indication yet about the reality of material -based politics entrenched in villages such as these.

Haji Ngatimin Sarjo ( left ),  a 69-year-old former army officer, believes one needs to be grateful for things that they already have, and declares that he had never voted for anyone else but a BN candidate.

“The MP who passed away (Seah Leong Peng), after winning, he didn’t look at us. The BN MP, he approved plenty of our requests,” he said, referring to BN candidate Mah Siew Keong, who served as a MP here between 1999 to 2008.

A 28-year-old second time voter who wishes to be only known as Ali, says that he is still on the fence about pledging his vote, but nonetheless has a wish list that includes a multipurpose hall and streetlights for main roads.

Restaurant operator Ansor Halil believes that “both sides are the same”, while downplaying any possible shift in opinion from Dyana’s candidacy.

“DAP has fielded a Malay candidate before. It’s not new,” he said.

“For me there is no difference between both. It’s just our responsibility to vote,” said Ansor, who has also not decided whom he would favour .

But judging by the sentiment here coupled with the fact that DAP and Dyana’s campaign team are yet to make a foray into this area, considered DAP’s “black” area, a majority of the votes from the largely Malay Changkat Jong state constituency would remain with BN, though it remains to be seen if it would be enough to match DAP’s votes in its centre of town stronghold.

RAM ANAND is a member of the Malaysiakini team.