Arif Shah Omar Shah has denied that Barisan Nasional is a burden for him in relation to the general feeling of discontentment felt by the people of Penang towards the ruling coalition.

arif interview 250808 01 "There is no better government than the BN to represent them (the people)," the Permatang Pauh candidate told Malaysiakini during an interview at his house in Seberang Jaya yesterday.

The campaign for the Permatang Pauh by-election will draw to a close at midnight while polling has been fixed for tomorrow.

Arif Shah faces PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim and PAS splinter party, Akim president Hanafi Hamat in the three-way fight.

The PKR leader is seen as the hot favourite to recapture the seat vacated by his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

On the other hand, Arif Shah, who believes he can win with a slim majority , is well liked by the locals.

The BN candidate was re-elected as the Seberang Jaya state assemblyperson in the March 8 elections when almost all of his colleagues in Penang were defeated.

During the interview, Arif Shah - who has repeatedly pledged equal treatment for all races - also said he was supportive of the New Economic Policy, which favours the bumiputera.

Malaysiakini: From the beginning you have been seen as the underdog in this by-election, do you still consider yourself as one as we enter into the last leg of campaigning?

Arif Shah: Yes, we still want to be considered as the underdog. I feel that it’s good that the opponent feels that they are so strong in this battle and let them concentrate in whatever campaign they want to do. We have our own strategy. I have seven strategies and I have only used four, maybe we don’t need to use all (seven) if we feel that we are already reaching the winning stage.

You are confident of wining with a majority between 500 to 5,000 votes with the support of PAS supporters?

According to our calculation, we find that we are already reaching the winning stage. A sudden swing from PAS voters for me or Akim (candidate Hanafi Hamat) will be good for us.

Are you happy with the operation of your election machinery, which is quite disorganised?

I let each machinery do (things) their own way. Therefore, whatever mistake done by each group will only affect that (particular) group, so at least I keep myself clean (from any problem). That’s a better approach (like how) people said you should put your eggs in different baskets.

Is your campaign also affected by the internal politics in your Umno division?

The minute when I was announced as the candidate, I already announced in the division meeting that I will withdraw, so that (internal politics) will no longer be an issue because everyone is concentrating on assisting me because if I win (I will withdraw), if I lose, they may have to face me (in the division elections) so they have no choice but to help me.

One of your advantages is that you speak Mandarin and Hokkien which helps to woo Chinese voters, but Chinese voters’ sentiments here are strong and leaning towards your rival as we have seen in the campaign so far.

After my meetings with Chinese voters, I believe they already made their decision that they don’t want to ‘risk’ their future especially since they are comfortable in their business at the moment. If there is a sudden change in government, it may be a high risk gamble towards their future. The present BN government has adjusted its policies (and listens) to grievances raised by other races. The BN government has shown that they are not racial.

But we have policies like the New Economic Policy (NEP) which favours the bumiputera.

That’s wrong. Many people have misinterpreted the NEP, it actually benefits all races. For example, you have a RM100 million project, 60 to 65 percent is the building materials and the building material suppliers are almost all Chinese. The infrastructure or road works will benefit the Indians, which will be another 10 or 15 percent. That leaves only 20 or 30 percent (of the profit) for the Malays as the owner of the project (to be used as) their management and operation cost for their profit margin

So you do support the NEP?

I support the NEP as long as it is not a racial policy.

Your election campaign was tainted with controversies such as your ‘bogus’ PhD degree, your brother Amin Shah’s involvement in the defence scandal and a racially slanted campaign by the ruling coalition.

No. I am not having any degrees, I am taking a course. To me, I don’t know whether that university is strict or not but the lectures they are giving is beneficial to me. Whether the degree is recognised or not is another thing since I have got extra knowledge on what I want to learn. (When) I found out that the degree is not recognised, I stopped. I just wanted to gain more knowledge if I have the opportunity.

About my brother, he has had his time of glory and now he is struggling. That is his business, I shouldn’t be associated with it. (The opposition shouldn’t) go for that type of cheap publicity.

Although you are popular among the locals and a likeable politician here, do you think your chances will be affected by the general sense of dissatisfaction towards BN? Is BN a burden for you?

Now no more (dissatisfaction). After the March 8 general election, we can see the policies towards a better Malaysia (have been implemented) and it has been ongoing. The BN government has given confidence to the multiracial population. There is no better government than BN to represent them.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s announcement for the reduction in oil prices has been seen as a political gimmick, do you agree?

I don’t think so, it’s a coincidence. Pak Lah (Abdullah) is a very responsible prime minister. That’s why everything he does, he will do it with full wisdom. But of course I get some advantage from it, it’s a blessing in disguise.

What about the sodomy issue?

I don’t want to touch on that because Anwar is my good friend. Until today he is still a friend although he may be my opponent and we are challenging each other.

Some observers predict that Malay votes may swing in favour of BN because of the sodomy issue and they also afraid Anwar may change policies (in favour of the Malays) if he takes over at the federal level.

With the statistics that we have gathered, we find that the swing in Malay votes is quite tremendous in my favour. The report also showed that the Chinese may not have given their support but they don’t want to gamble their future away as they have been having a comfortable and good lifestyle. During my contact with the voters, I think some of them will swing and give the votes to BN.

There were a lot of allegations of vote-buying attempts hurled at BN. Your response.

When you point one finger at somebody, four fingers are pointing back at yourself. It is bad for me to accuse but I think for the other side (his opponent), they always accuse others of doing what they actually want to do.

Last question - why should the people vote you into Parliament since you are already an elected representative in the state?

The people of Permatang Pauh should vote Barisan Nasional because Arif Shah is now an opposition state assemblyperson, where I don’t have allocation from the state. If I continue to be in this situation, the problems (faced by the constituents) will not be solved and there will be no progress although I maybe a good state assemblyperson.

If they vote me in as a MP, not only I can concentrate on what I have been doing in my (state) constituency, I will give good support for the people in (two other state seats) Penanti and Permatang Pasir too. I can use my good relationship with the federal government to (obtain) the allocations and assistance to bring about a very bright future for the people.

Watch 8-min of Arif Shah's interview