For Felda's old soldiers, BN is comfort in familiarity
CAMERON POLLS | On a sunny late morning in the heart of Felda Sungai Koyan 2 in Pahang, a group of about 50 villagers gathered at a roadside satay restaurant awaiting the arrival of Umno veteran Hishammuddin Hussein.
When Hishammuddin finally arrived, the crowd, who are mostly armed forces veterans, greeted him like an old friend. The former Umno vice-president shook hands with them, hugged some and even ...
CAMERON POLLS | On a sunny late morning in the heart of Felda Sungai Koyan 2 in Pahang, a group of about 50 villagers gathered at a roadside satay restaurant awaiting the arrival of Umno veteran Hishammuddin Hussein.
When Hishammuddin finally arrived, the crowd, who are mostly armed forces veterans, greeted him like an old friend. The former Umno vice-president shook hands with them, hugged some and even saluted one of the elderly men who arrived late.
Everyone looked completely at ease although it was clear that Hishammuddin needed to get something off his chest.
"What do you guys think? Can we win this (Cameron Highlands) by-election?" Hishammuddin said after sitting at the same table with a group of the men. The reply was a resounding "Yes".
Despite the fact that this was only the second time that Hishammuddin had set foot in this outpost, he clearly had a rapport. The first visit happened soon after Hishammuddin was appointed defence minister in 2013.
Sungai Koyan is a tiny Felda town some 30 minutes drive west of Kuala Lipis, Pahang. The town has just two petrol stations and is surrounded by palm oil plantations.
It is also the only major town in the eastern half of the Cameron Highlands parliamentary constituency and thus a focal point for vote canvassers in the ongoing by-election campaign.
For some townsfolk, BN and Hishammuddin offer them something that the fledgeling Pakatan Harapan cannot - comfort in familiarity.
"This is my first time meeting him (Hishammuddin). I have never met him because he has his job, I have my job.
"But Hishammuddin, my brother, is married to one of his relatives," said 83-year-old Othman Rashid (above) who settled in Sungai Koyan as a Felda settler after he retired from military service in Penang in 1976.
Othman, whose hometown is in Muar, Johor, said he has been the president of the Sungai Koyan 2 Umno branch for so long that five of his former deputies have passed away.
Feeling indebted
Some veterans told Malaysiakini that unlike Hishammuddin, the current defence minister Mohamad Sabu was alien to them. One villager, who only wanted to be known as Hassan, compared BN and Pakatan Harapan to teh tarik and coffee.
"If you have been drinking teh tarik for so many years, even if someone were to offer you coffee, you would not want it," he said.
Othman's comments, however, belie the fact that during the last general election, 54.77 percent voters in Sungai Koyan voted against BN with the bulk of them (45.23 percent) voting for PAS.
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However, rapport is just one of the things attracting voters. Some feel indebted to BN because they believe that they owe their fortunes to the former ruling coalition.
Many told Malaysiakini that they remember Abdul Razak Hussein - the second prime minister and Hishammuddin's uncle - because it was his administration that set up the Felda scheme and opened up Sungai Koyan to military veterans thus allowing them to make a decent living after retirement.
"In (Felda Sungai Koyan) 2 and 3, they are all military veterans. Whether they have a pension or not, they were given a place. This was the first Felda plan by the late Abdul Razak, it was his idea, to open a special Felda scheme for veterans," said 75-year-old Ridhuan Mat.
Ridhuan (above), who served the armed forces for 14 years, said he cannot turn away from BN after all they have done for him.
Not only did he receive 14 acres of Felda land, but he also claimed he was not supposed to get a pension because he did not serve enough years. However, under the BN administration, he managed to receive a pension.
"I will stay with BN, because we were part of the plan when BN was ruling, until today. There is no way we can change when we are indebted to them, right? We cannot change to another party," he insisted.
Abdullah, another veteran, said he too received his land after retiring from the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).
Money talks
Originally from Kedah, Abdullah, 67, is unhappy about the falling palm oil prices as well as the lack of assistance from the new government.
"During such times in the past, we had assistance. Back then, settlers got bonuses and every year schoolchildren got Raya money. Now there is nothing.
"For us, we do not see (any benefits from the new government) at all," he said.
Second-generation Felda settler Jamal Ramli, 52, also rued the falling palm oil prices and the delayed monthly payments from the government.
"The monthly payment, sometimes we only get paid after two months," he complained. Thus, he said, they are forced to work odd jobs and even sometimes have to ask their children for assistance.
The new Harapan government does not seem to care about them, claimed Ridhuan who pointed to the Budget 2019 as an example.
"With the new government, there was nothing for veterans or Felda settlers in the Budget 2019.
"Since 2018 till now, there is no news (of any assistance or allocation). Even in the budget, there was no mention of oil palm smallholders, rubber tappers, fishermen, nothing at all," he said.
As Hishammuddin sat and chatted with the veterans, he brought up the supposed lackadaisical performance of the new Harapan government adding that BN was not perfect but they were trying to improve now.
"I was worried but now that I see your faces, my heart is at ease," Hishammuddin said. The feeling appears to be mutual with the Sungai Kotan 2 Felda settlers.
"After getting to see his (Hishammuddin) face, my heart feels better," said Othman.
Polling day for the Cameron Highlands by-election is set for Jan 26. It is a four-cornered contest between BN's Ramli Mohd Nor, DAP's M Manogaran and two independent candidates, farmer Wong Seng Yee and retired teacher Sallehudin Ab Talib.
FOCUS: Cameron Highlands
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