Lukewarm campaigning in T'ganu, Malacca

GE15 | A lukewarm atmosphere is being felt in Terengganu and Malacca after almost a week of campaigning for the 15th general election (GE15).

Ceramah, especially those featuring big names in political parties, used to be a popular medium in Terengganu for campaigning every election season. However, thus far, the organisation of such talks seem to attract poor attendance.

At a ceramah by a candidate vying for the Kuala Nerus parliamentary seat recently, only 20 attendees turned up.

“There used to be a lot of people (attending),” said a party official.

The situation is partly due to the GE15 candidates now also utilising social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok for their campaign.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who will be defending the Marang parliamentary seat, admitted that social media platforms are seen as closer to voters, and that political figures' Facebook pages are constantly updated with various content.

Hadi would normally post official statements, live stream a religious lecture, or upload content with advice on his Facebook page for the party’s supporters.

BN’s Kuala Terengganu candidate, Mohd Zubir Embong, also uses social media sites such as Facebook and TikTok, among others, to interact directly with the people in his ‘Sek Awok Tanye, Cikgu Jawab’, a 30-minute session with his followers.

Meanwhile, in Malacca, the lack of “heavyweight” candidates, due to the fielding of new faces, is one of the factors behind the campaign atmosphere in the state being rather lukewarm.

This presents a challenge to media practitioners, who are only able to “chase” candidates as news material, without hot issues being played at the state and federal levels.

BN in Malacca is instead holding group talks with voters in district polling centres, without ceramah feating the coalition’s top guns, to clarify national issues.

Only on Wednesday, the atmosphere heated up a notch with the presence of caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who held a walkabout around the town and night market near Kampung Pulau in Durian Tunggal, Alor Gajah, an Amanah stronghold.

In Kedah, BN’s Pokok Sena candidate Noran Zamini Jamaluddin said that his campaign was running smoothly with the help of the coalition’s machinery and he aims to meet as many voters as possible, including in the strongholds of his opponents.

“What I enjoy is the community’s acceptance. In the past, it was difficult for BN to penetrate areas that were PAS strongholds, but now that scenario has changed.

“I have so far been accepted in all polling districts; thus far, they have opened up space and we can enter the area without any problems,” said Noran Zamini.

In several constituencies in Selangor, the campaign turned into a mission to help flood victims, after several areas in Petaling and Klang districts were hit by flash floods since Wednesday.

A total of three temporary evacuation centres at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kampung Johan Setia and SK Binjai, Meru in Kapar, both in Klang district, and at Al Falah Mosque in Kampung Budiman in Petaling district, were opened to accommodate 633 flood victims as of today.

Last night, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, who is also the Pakatan Harapan candidate contesting the Gombak parliamentary seat, and the PN candidate for the Kapar parliamentary seat, Dr Halimah Ali, were among those who cancelled campaign activities to check the flood situation in affected areas.

Yesterday, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is also the BN candidate contesting the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat, went down to Kampung Melayu Subang to inspect flood-affected houses.

In addition, the Harapan candidate for Kota Raja parliamentary seat, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, visited the evacuation centre at SK Kampung Johan Setia.

- Bernama

Police clarify only one walkabout permit needed per candidate

Anwar alleges some military personnel voted today, got RM300

Parliament is not like school, Hadi rebuts critics on attendance record

Asyraf's qualification, Islamic credentials strike a chord in Gerik

Rafizi: MACC probing my assets is like investigating popular nasi lemak seller

Rafizi: RM2b project approved for direct tender right before Parliament dissolved

Nazri expects bittersweet outcome for Perak BN