GE14 | It is often that BN politicians play the development card during election campaigns to woo voters in neglected rural areas. In the case of Bagan Datuk, the local people appear to have cashed in well before nomination day.

In 2013, voters of Bagan Datuk faithfully returned local boy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to Parliament for a fifth term. However, little did the Bagan Datuk voters know that, eventually, their MP would be elevated to deputy prime minister mid-term.

As Zahid's fortunes changed, so did the sleepy one-street coastal town of Bagan Datuk.

For starters, Bagan Datuk became Perak's twelfth - and second smallest district - just a year ago. Having a new local government is predicted to not only bring convenience to the local populace but also create new civil service and contractual jobs.

In time, the district will likely have its own district-level facilities and Bagan Datuk folk would no longer have to share state government resources with the Hilir Perak District, which the town was removed from.

The new district will also now incorporate Sembilan Island, a well-known tourist destination, from the Manjung District.

But more importantly, Zahid has been pledging and securing development projects that easily amount to billions of ringgit for the township since he assumed the position of the nation's second-in-command in July 2015.

Rapid development in Bagan Datuk

For now, Bagan Datuk's claim to fame is the fact that it is the top coconut producer in the country. Zahid seems poised to change that image and help the Bagan Datuk industry move up the value chain.

Just this year alone, Zahid announced that Bagan Datuk will soon host the country’s biggest tuna processing plant, a new automobile hub, a halal hub and the second-largest slaughterhouse and feedlot area in Asia.

Work on an RM446.9 million bridge that will link Bagan Datuk with the northern bank of the Perak River, which is supposed to cut travel time from one hour to just 15 minutes, began last year and it is expected to be completed in 2020.

A straw poll of Bagan Datuk voters during a recent investigation by Malaysiakini revealed that the latest administrative, infrastructure and economic developments have left a positive impression.

For instance, lorry driver M Mahentheran, 44, told Malaysiakini that he will be backing Zahid in the coming election, not only because of development seen in Bagan Datuk, but also because how the MP had brought the community together.

"I have seen roads and drainage systems being built and upgraded in Bagan Datuk and Hutan Melintang in the past 10 years.

"Not only that, when I was just a small kid, there was no festival celebration that brought all the races together. But now we have this in every festival. Zahid treats us equally," he said.

Apart from being the man behind Bagan Datuk's rapid developmental progress, Zahid is also working on his image as a man of the people during his public functions.

At a recent "Sentuhan Rakyat" event (photo above) - a discount market where one can buy whole chickens for RM5 each and rice below ceiling price - Zahid, a cabinet minister with a PhD from Universiti Putra Malaysia, did not look at all out of place as he sold poultry to his constituents.

His campaign team have also created a festive feel for his campaign events, often with the catchy "Lagu Bagan Datuk" - a song by a star-studded ensemble led by local singer M Daud Kilau and rapper Altimet - playing in the background.

Zahid’s opponents

Should this all this translate into votes in Zahid's favour, then it is possible that Bagan Datuk will no longer be a "marginal seat" after the 14th general election.

In 2013, Zahid edged out his little-known PKR opponent Madhi bin Hasan by 2,108 votes, down from 2,692 in 2008.

Thus far, Zahid's likely challengers are PKR's Pakhrurrazi Arshad and PAS' Ata Abdul Muneim Hasan Adli, whose late father was once a deputy minister and two-term Bagan Datuk MP in the 1970s. Both are finding themselves firmly on the back foot.

In a recent interview, Pakhrurrazi (photo) told Malaysiakini that he and Zahid share much in common. They share the same age, alma mater and were among those who protested against Anwar Ibrahim’s sacking as deputy prime minister in 1998.

"We have been friends since our days back in the Fifth Residential College, Universiti Malaya. We are both 65 years old now. We were also Anwar's gang who fought for him when he was arrested," he told Malaysiakini when met at a warung in Rungkup, one of two state seats under the Bagan Datuk parliamentary constituency.

Zahid was Umno Youth chief in the 1990s and was forced to resign when he was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for 11 days. In contrast, Pakhrurrazi’s foray into politics only began in 2009, after he retired as head of the academic section of Perak’s Education Department.

In his early years, Pakhrurrazi taught in primary and secondary schools in both Bagan Datuk and Teluk Intan. And according to him, this experience will work in his favour.

Since being told unofficially to prepare for his candidacy last year, Pakhrurrazi has been pounding the pavements and dirt trails, even in villages that are known Umno strongholds.

"Everywhere I go, people would still call me 'cikgu' (teacher). I do not encounter any problem campaigning this time around. Malays respect their teacher.

"As an educator, I want to correct the mindset of local Malays. Many think Malays will be doomed without Umno. They also think the DAP will rule the country, without knowing how many seats they have," he said.

Pakhrurrazi believes that Pakatan Harapan has a strong team in Bagan Datuk going into this election, because he is now working with incumbent Hutan Melintang assemblyperson S Kesavan and allies Bersatu and Amanah.

It seems PAS intends to repeat the victory of former PAS deputy president Hassan Adli by fielding his only son, Abdul Muneim (photo), in Bagan Datuk.

When contacted, Abdul Muneim, a 60-year-old retired management system auditor who is based in Kuala Lumpur, said he was hopeful of repeating his late father’s victory.

However, he acknowledged that only the older voters may remember his father, not the younger generation.

"In PAS, we are trained to be optimistic," said the PAS candidate who was born in Batu 20, Rungkup.

Minds already made up  

Meanwhile, a straw poll of voters suggests that most Bagan Datuk folks have made up their minds on who they will support come polling day.

For the BN backers, national issues such as 1MDB and GST are not a major concern. For them, electing a local troubleshooter is more important than policy or lawmaking.

Coconut farmer Ahmad Zahid Kamaruzzaman, 30, said he had good words for Pakhrurrazi, who was once the his school headmaster.

However, Ahmad Zahid (photo) said the incumbent MP’s deeds have secured his vote.

"I remembered Phakhrurrazi as a kind and polite man who never got angry with his students. He only advised me when I behave badly.

"But Zahid helps villagers in need. He helped my family rebuild our house," said Ahmad Zahid, who added that he has voted for BN in the past two elections.

"Zahid's house only sits some 5km away from mine, he often comes to my kampung's mosque for Friday prayers and there were times we prayed together."

The young man, who only earns about RM1,000 a month, said he hoped the government would increase the number of jobs and opportunities in Bagan Datuk.

Similarly, Khairol Yusof, 47, said he will back Zahid because the latter sponsored RM20,000 for him to build a new house.

"I stopped work for almost four years due to a stroke, I am recovering from it but my hand cannot function well.

"BN has helped me a lot, so I cannot support Pakhrurrazi. Even (if I) vote, he will not win anyway," Khairol said, adding that Pakhrurrazi was a relative of his.

Sina Kasiron, 78, said she was torn between choosing Zahid, the provider, and Pakhrurrazi, the local boy.

"I support Pakhrurrazi and the (caretaker) deputy prime minister too. Zahid helped us, he gave us rice, sugar and cooking oil a few months ago," she said.

Economic divide

From the interviews with the Bagan Datuk folk, it was noted that those who were higher up the economic ladder were less likely to be swayed by handouts.

Oil palm estate owner and PAS member Azhar Mohd Azid, 53, said the Bagan Datuk folk should understand that whatever development is seen in the area now should not be credited to Zahid’s benevolence, but to taxpayers.

"That's our money, not his money. While he can talk about (government allocation brought into Bagan Datuk), but is this his money?

"He is walking the corridors of power now because we allowed him. We even pay his wages," said Azhar.

Kor Chin Sheng, a 25-year-old accountant working at a fish factory in Bagan Hutan Melintang, one of eight traditional Chinese fishing villages in Bagan Datuk, said he would vote for the opposition due to economic factors.

"I am a first-time voter. For this coming election, I looked at the issues such as GST, which has an impact on our company," Kor said.

He said that his company took a hit due to GST being factored into transport costs. He also noted that changes were happening only in Bagan Datuk town, but not on Bagan Hutan Melintang.

Kor said he was voting for a change in federal government.

"Changes have happened in many countries, but in Malaysia, we have been ruled by the same party for 60 years," he added.

Grocery shopkeeper R Shanmugaraja, 44 (above), said he deeply appreciated and supported Zahid for what BN had done for the people.

"But, I will still vote for the opposition. I want some changes, I am thinking of the future of myself, of my children, and what is going to happen to the Indian community," Shanmugaraja said.

"Nowadays, if you want something you have to go begging. In Dr Mahathir Mohamad's era, even he did nothing (to help Indians), but it was easy to get licences."

This is the first in a three-part election series on Hilir Perak.

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