Harapan drops 'poster boy' tactic in Malacca after Johor, N Sembilan defeats

INTERVIEW | Pakatan Harapan is dropping its "poster boy" strategy for the Malacca state election, with state chairperson Adly Zahari saying the coalition needs to rethink its campaign approach after defeats in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

Rather than rallying behind a single prominent leader, Adly said Harapan would focus on the strengths of individual candidates, grassroots mobilisation, and countering identity politics, which he believes overshadowed the coalition's track record in previous elections.

"We have not discussed having a poster boy because, looking at what happened in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, our main focus in Malacca is to ensure that every candidate contesting a state seat makes every effort to win.

"There is no point having a poster boy if our poster boy does not win," the Amanah vice-president told Malaysiakini in an interview in Parliament on Thursday.

Adly, who is defending his Bukit Katil seat, said Harapan would field a mix of experienced leaders and newcomers, including candidates from Gen Z.

"It is better for us to focus on ensuring that everyone brings their own strengths to the table. We have candidates ranging from Gen Z to those with extensive experience," he said.

Harapan initially announced candidates for 21 of Malacca's 28 state seats on Oct 24 before unveiling three more, bringing its total to 24.

Among them is Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's political secretary, Azman Abidin, who will contest Paya Rumput against PAS candidate Rafie Ahmad, in a seat where BN is also contesting.

Adly said the inclusion of younger candidates reflected Harapan's response to calls for political change.

"People often talk about young people and the need for political change. So we are giving young people a chance," said the former Malacca chief minister.

Identity politics a key battleground

Adly warned that Harapan would again face attempts to portray Malay and Islamic interests as being under threat, a narrative he believes contributed to the coalition's defeats in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

Citing Negeri Sembilan, he said the state government's performance had been overshadowed by identity politics, despite surveys purportedly showing nearly 80 percent approval for then menteri besar Aminuddin Harun.

"Because those sentiments, or what we call identity politics, dominated politics based on values, performance, and actual achievements, Harapan ultimately failed to retain the Negeri Sembilan government," he said.

However, Adly said Harapan could turn the issue against BN and PN in Malacca by pointing to the political instability that followed its loss of power in Negeri Sembilan.

"We can see that Harapan is no longer leading Negeri Sembilan, yet the current government has failed to establish political stability.

"So are we still going to be blamed? Is DAP going to be blamed again? These are among the issues we are raising," said the Amanah vice-chairperson.

Turnout could decide outcome

Adly also acknowledged that Harapan's prospects would depend on its ability to bring traditional supporters back to the ballot box.

He said low turnout among the coalition's core supporters had hurt its performance in the 2021 Malacca state election, with turnout in some areas falling to between 40 and 45 percent.

"Harapan was certainly affected in the 2021 state election because we know that many of our core supporters did not come out to vote.

"So we hope the current political climate will help improve voter turnout," he said.

Adly said the election would also test the ability of rival coalitions to mobilise their respective support bases.

"The different parties will compete to ensure their respective supporters come out to vote, and Harapan is placing considerable emphasis on these factors," he added.

Banking on 22-month record

Despite the challenges, Adly expressed confidence that voters would recognise Harapan's achievements during its 22 months in power in Malacca following the 2018 general election.

The Alor Gajah MP cited more than 55 initiatives undertaken during his administration, including public housing programmes, efforts to resolve abandoned projects, and major infrastructure developments.

Among the achievements he highlighted was the resolution of a long-standing maritime boundary dispute between Malacca and Negeri Sembilan off Kuala Linggi, which paved the way for the Kuala Linggi International Port project.

"It was during Harapan's administration that we resolved the maritime boundary issue.

"In fact, maritime boundary disputes are among the most difficult issues to resolve in our country. No state in Malaysia has managed to resolve such a dispute, except for Kuala Linggi between Malacca and Negeri Sembilan.

"We managed to settle it within 22 months," he said.

Adly also highlighted his administration's decision to revive the Sungai Jenih Dam project, which he said was necessary to support development in Masjid Tanah and future port operations.

"When Harapan took over the state government, approval for the Sungai Jenih Dam project had actually been terminated.

"But we revived it and approved the project because we knew the Masjid Tanah area needed a dam, given its continued development," he said.

He added that water infrastructure was important not only for household consumption but also for economic activity, including port operations.

"Water is not just a basic necessity but also an important economic resource, because ports sell substantial amounts of water to merchant vessels at much higher prices," he said.

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