As 'Green Wave' ebbs, Gerakan raises alarm for GE16

Gerakan has cautioned Perikatan Nasional against resting on its laurels when Umno managed to win in two subsequent by-elections.

Sounding the alarm, its president Dominic Lau urged the coalition to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the trend of Malay votes shifting towards Umno.

He said the findings based on the results of the Nenggiri by-election in Kelantan and last Saturday’s polls for the Mahkota state seat in Johor would be crucial in preparing for the next general election.

“This is not about underestimating ourselves, but we need to reassess our strategies, reflect on future developments, and strengthen cooperation and rapport among coalition parties.

“Since the other side can put aside past grudges and cooperate, PN must do even better,” he said in a statement.

He said the cooperative model involving BN and Pakatan Harapan proved its effectiveness in Mahkota, and if the two coalitions continue their alliance until the next general election, it could lead to a shift in the political landscape.

Lau mentioned that although the demographics and geographical structures of voters in Nenggiri and Mahkota are different, they could serve as references for voting patterns in rural and suburban areas. 

He pointed out that despite the low voter turnout in Mahkota, Umno still managed to pull off an impressive win, which meant that there was not only consolidation of the party’s members and supporters but it also received assistance from Harapan. 

“In the last general election, PN managed to break through in many Malay-majority constituencies due to the support of Malay voters. 

“However, we must recognise that many of these voters are middle ground. If PN wants to retain these areas, it must start working now, preparing early, and deploying and adjusting campaign teams and strategies,” he added.

Lau said postal votes in both by-elections also favoured BN, and this must be addressed with caution as well.

Do not neglect non-Malays

He also underscored the importance of PN winning over the hearts and minds of non-Muslims who have reservations about the Islamist party PAS.

“Many in the non-Muslim community are dissatisfied with the unity government, but this does not mean they will automatically vote for PN. 

“PN still needs to work hard to gain the support of the non-Muslim community,” he added.

BN’s Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah defeated PN’s Mohd Haizan Jaafar to retain the Mahkota state seat for Umno with a majority of 20,648 votes, or about four times what it achieved at the state election in 2022.

In Nenggiri, which is located in the PAS fortress of Kelantan, BN’s Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani defeated PN’s Mohd Rizwadi Ismail by 3,352 votes, making it the first seat to flip since the 2022 general election.

The last national polls witnessed PN making significant gains at Umno’s expense, and this was dubbed the “Green Wave”.

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