GE14 | Dominated by rubber and palm oil plantations and dotted with small villages, the Malay-majority rural areas of Masjid Tanah and Alor Gajah in Malacca have always been BN strongholds, with BN sweeping the two parliamentary constituencies with 16,200-vote and 11,597-vote majorities, respectively, in the last election.

But it appears that leading up to this coming election, rumblings have started on the ground in these Malay heartlands as Pakatan Harapan begins to see encouraging turnouts in places which were previously impenetrable to the opposition.

However, whether these ripples will eventually swell into the oft-mentioned “Malay tsunami”, which the opposition appears to be banking on, will depend on the remaining nine days of campaigning before the May 9 date for voting.

For now, just two days into the campaigning period for the 14th general election, Pakatan Harapan has brought in one of its heavyweights - Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin - to speak at Kampung Pulau in Masjid Tanah as well as in Pekan Nyalas in Alor Gajah last night.

In the last election, barely a quarter of the 843 voters at the Kampung Pulau voting district voted in favour of the opposition while at Pekan Nyalas, not even one-third of the 1,614 voted for the opposition.

In light of this, Muhyiddin’s two ceramah kelompok sessions last night drew crowds of about 200 and 250 each.

These were respectable figures as they were small ceramah programmes held in an intimate and informal setting on private plots of land within the two kampung.

At the Masjid Tanah evening ceramah, many in the crowd of about 200 appeared to be party supporters or friends and family members of one or more of the Masjid Tanah parliamentary and state candidates.

This included housewife Faridah Osman, 50, who lives in Kampung Jeram, just down the street from where the ceramah was held.

A former Umno supporter, she is now a full-fledged Bersatu member who was drawn to the party because of Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Yes, of course some of my neighbours do not like that I joined Bersatu, but it is normal,” Faridah (photo) told Malaysiakini.

The ceramah at Masjid Tanah was held on a plot of land just a short 10-minute drive from the Masjid Tanah town centre.

The land belongs to Harapan’s Ayer Limau candidate Ruslin Hassan, a former Kuala Lumpur mayor, who was born and bred in that kampung.

Ayer Limau is a state seat under Masjid Tanah, which BN won with a 4,569-vote majority in the last election.

Meanwhile, in Pekan Nyalas, near Alor Gajah, the crowd appeared to be more wary of Muhyiddin and his entourage.

Though there was a crowd of some 250 people at the night ceramah, most of them were standing in the shadows beneath the trees lining the street or in the parking area. The well-lit area directly in front of the makeshift stage was largely empty.

Mohd Najib Ibrahim, 33, was a lot more brazen in declaring his support for the opposition when approached by Malaysiakini, but he also understood why the others might be more cautious.

“I support Pakatan Harapan, now and forever.

“But if you want to talk about this kampung, there are a lot of people who won’t want to show their faces.

“Because this is definitely a BN stronghold, so they are still not confident yet (in supporting the opposition),” said Mohd Najib (photo), who works in the private sector.

During his ceramah, Muhyiddin spoke of the alleged excesses of caretaker prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, on his untaxed RM2.6 billion donation, about the rising cost of living in the country and on the GST, laying the blame for these issues on the BN administration as led by Najib.

Asking the crowd how much longer they intend to stay angry with the government over the rising cost of living and GST, he promised that the Harapan government would abolish the GST.

For 64-year-old Fatimah Ahmad, who was previously a staunch BN supporter, these words from Muhyiddin were music to her ears.

“Just now, when I was listening to Muhyiddin speak, my heart was at ease.

“When I listen to BN now, my heart is burdened,” Fatimah told Malaysiakini.

Her chief complaint was the rising cost of living, which she partly blamed on the GST.

“Last time, if I brought RM50 to the shops, I could fill my basket till it is heavy.

“Now, I can carry RM50 worth of goods on one hand, without feeling anything.

“Who is GST for? We are not well-off, we are just kampung folk,” she lamented.

Falling rubber prices another blow

As a rubber tapper, Fatimah, who is without family, also complained about the falling prices of rubber.

She can gather about five to six kilogrammes of latex from a day’s work, but one kilogramme is only worth about RM1.80, she said.

“So how? What can I buy with that today? Even a packet of flour is RM1.30 now. Every day it’s lempeng or cekodok (fritter snacks),” she said.

According to the Malaysian Rubber Board, the price of rubber has been on a downward trend since early last year, with prices hitting 1206.50 sen/kg in January 2017 and then decreasing to 755.50 sen/kg by December 2017.

As of April 27, 2018, the price of rubber has been 712.50 sen/kg.

Fatimah’s friend Azizah Ismail’s husband is also a rubber tapper, so she understands Fatimah’s grouses.

The 68-year-old housewife said she has unfailingly supported BN her entire life, but the rising cost of living has managed to change her mind.

“It is very difficult. I have never left from BN’s side but this time, I feel the pinch.

“Last time when we went to the store to buy things, a full trolley will come up to RM200. Now, if the trolley is full, we see the total at the counter just keeps going up,” Azizah said.

“We tell you these stories not because we want to talk bad about the government, no, but this is what is true,” Fatimah added.

While Muhyiddin’s ceramah and the crowd sentiment may be good signs for the opposition, Harapan still needs to garner a lot more support in these Malay heartlands within the next nine days if it intends to pull off what had previously seemed a distant dream: to take over these BN strongholds.