Alor Gajah will likely see battle between Harapan and PN to keep BN out

The quaint countryside constituency of Alor Gajah was a BN stronghold in Malacca for 44 years until Pakatan Harapan seized it in 2018 through Bersatu’s Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof.

Speculation is rife that BN may give the seat back to Umno after letting MCA contest there since 2004, with Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan touted as a possible candidate.

But despite the coalition’s longstanding history in the constituency, a straw poll by Malaysiakini among voters in Alor Gajah town - some 30 minutes away from central Malacca - suggested that BN may find recapturing the seat a difficult task.

Fence sitters appear to be deciding between Perikatan Nasional (PN) - whom Redzuan is now a member of - and Harapan as their top choice for the upcoming 15th general election (GE15).

This was especially apparent among first-time voters.

For a 20-year-old who gave her name as Sara, she was adamant that her choice on polling day would not be a BN candidate.

“The cost of goods has been rising with time. People are now facing difficulty buying goods. We should try (another party other) than BN,” the student told Malaysiakini.

However, when asked if she knew who the incumbent MP was, she said she wasn’t really familiar with Redzuan, or his party.

This same question was also posed to another youth only known as Sean, who mistook Pak Wan - as Redzuan is commonly referred to - for Sulaiman Md Ali, the Malacca chief minister.

Sean admitted that he was disinterested in the political situation, like many voters Malaysiakini encountered, and felt that there was no reason to vote.

“No matter (which party) wins or loses, it will still be the same,” he said.

However, despite the apathy, Sean will be dipping his finger into indelible ink at least this once - driven by economic concerns.

“Now the economy is really bad, I am only going to vote, try it out once, but maybe after this (general election) I won’t (vote),” he said, adding that he may vote for Harapan because it would be the least bad option.

But it’s not just youths like Sean and Sara who are citing the rising cost of living as a motivating factor when it comes to voting.

Uncertainty affecting many

For a local fishmonger who declined to be named, the people’s economic well-being was more important than who to vote for.

“I don't know who to vote (for), I don’t care who it is. I am worried about bringing down (the cost) of goods, that is what I really want,” she said.

She voted for Bersatu in the previous election but declined to name who she will vote for this time around.

A longstanding BN supporter who wants to be known as Roziah also seemed uncertain about who she would cast her ballot for come polling day.

The street trader told Malaysiakini that while she may vote for BN again, she would choose a candidate who could address the pertinent issues faced by the rakyat.

Alor Gajah is one of six Parliament seats in Malacca, and one of the largest in the state geographically.

As of 2018, 61 percent of its voters were Malay.

Despite this demographic, since 2004, both BN and the opposition have fielded Chinese candidates there.

Against this backdrop, Harapan took a risk that paid off in 2018 by giving the seat to Bersatu - which won with 50.7 percent of votes in a three-cornered fight.

Redzuan went on to become a federal minister under the administrations of Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin.

Redzuan’s unfinished business

When contacted, Redzuan confirmed on Saturday (Oct 22) that he intended to defend his Alor Gajah seat, but left it up to the party leadership to make the final decision.

“I aspire to continue my unfinished business in the constituency and can do more. We have lost two years to serve effectively due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” he told Malaysiakini.

If he does get to represent Bersatu in the seat, the party’s decision to quit Harapan in 2020 and form PN together with PAS, however, may end up costing the incumbent some votes.

For one of his supporters in the last election, who gave his name as Loganathan, voting for Redzuan again was a hard no.

Although he acknowledged the Bersatu leader’s capabilities as an elected representative, he remained firm in wanting to vote for the Harapan component party that contests there instead.

“I really hate (PN). I used to like (Redzuan) but when (Bersatu) hopped, I really did not like him,” he said.

Meanwhile, poultry seller Saddiq Hasan who consistently voted for Harapan candidates in the past, said he could not decide this time around.

“Pak Wan is good. He always goes to the ground. I used to vote for Harapan. (But now) Bersatu, I look at them and it’s a bit difficult (to decide).

“BN used to be good, but nowadays there is a lot of corruption. They do not care about the rakyat, they only care about themselves,” said the 75-year-old.

Others who voted for Redzuan in 2018 have a less favourable image of him.

Unlike the others, a namesake, Mohamad Ridzuan, claimed that the incumbent MP does not frequent the constituency.

The 28-year-old who previously voted for Harapan said he had no issues with PN as a coalition, however, he has a problem with Redzuan’s performance in the previous term.

Close fight

The battle for Alor Gajah is expected to be a close fight.

In the 2021 Malacca polls, BN won all five of the state seats under the Alor Gajah parliamentary constituency.

However, in four of the seats, BN won with just around 40 percent of votes - with Harapan and PN trailing close behind.

The only state seat that BN won with more than 50 percent of votes was Asahan.

But, the number of voters that cast their ballots in Alor Gajah during the 2021 state polls was only slightly higher than in 2018 - suggesting a potential lower turnout in the constituency.

With an influx of new voters - especially youths 18 to 20 who did not get to vote in the state election, a high turnout could tip the scale either way in GE15.

Besides Bersatu for PN and Umno for BN, DAP is expected to contest the seat again for Harapan.

Please vote, Maszlee pleads as BN mulls heavyweight for Simpang Renggam

GE15: Sarawak DAP will use its rocket logo

Bersatu leader upset at lack of PN Indian candidates in S'gor

Khalid's Titiwangsa move a sacrifice - Amanah polls director