Bersama eyes breakthrough in Bemban as BN, Harapan sit out race

MALACCA POLLS | With both BN and Pakatan Harapan sitting out Bemban, Bersama has a rare opportunity to make inroads in the semi-urban constituency.

The four-way contest pits Bersama's Dr Solehin Saleh against incumbent Dr Yadzil Yaakub, who represents Perikatan Nasional, Bersatu's Rabaie Ab Hamid, and independent candidate Abd Halim Said.

A win would give the fledgling party a foothold in a seat long contested by political heavyweights, while testing whether voter frustration with established coalitions is creating room for a new political alternative.

For some residents, however, the issue goes beyond party loyalty.

An Indian food stall operator who wanted to be known as Angel, 58, told Malaysiakini she had little hope of getting help from local political representatives after her requests for business assistance went unanswered. She claimed that others with connections had received aid.

“When it comes time to vote, that is when they find us,” she said.

Asked about Bersama's chances, however, Angel indicated that she had a personal connection to the party through a friend of her younger sibling who was a member.

“Boleh lah (it's possible),” she said.

Another resident, who wished to be known as Zizi, also felt BN's absence could persuade some of its former supporters to consider Bersama.

The 36-year-old motorcycle workshop worker estimated that the contest could be evenly split, pointing to Solehin's efforts to engage residents, including visits to surau and free health checks after morning prayers.

“Voters look at leaders - whether they can get things done or not. Nowadays, the party is no longer important,” he said.

A seat with shifting loyalties

Bemban, which falls under the Jasin parliamentary constituency, has traditionally been a BN stronghold, held first by Umno and later MCA.

Of its 26,381 registered voters, 62.75 percent are Malay, 19.61 percent Chinese, and 16.76 percent Indian.

The electorate is also relatively young, with those aged 21 to 39 accounting for 42.78 percent. Another 31.42 percent are aged 40 to 59, while 23.43 percent are 60 and above.

Its political allegiances, however, have shifted in recent elections. DAP captured the seat in 2018 before Bersatu won it in 2021, with Yadzil subsequently becoming its incumbent representative under PN.

This history of changing loyalties informs a local sundry shop operator's assessment of Bersama's chances.

The 50-year-old, who wanted to be known as Loh, said Bemban voters had shown they were open to supporting different parties.

“It is possible that people here will give Bersama a chance,” he said.

Still, not all voters are ready to turn away from Yadzil.

Restaurant operator Saiful Bahari, 40, said he knew the incumbent before he entered politics, recalling how the doctor had treated his grandmother.

He described Yadzil as approachable and said the incumbent continued to visit residents, including during floods.

Nevertheless, Saiful was not ruling out Bersama. He felt that the unconventional campaign style and humorous messaging of Solehin, a brother of Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, could help him connect with younger voters.

“We (younger voters) don't want to hear the usual. We want to hear something that is new,” he said.

Describing Solehin as a fighter, Saiful added that voters would ultimately judge him on whether he could deliver.

A longer runway

The contrast between Bersama's ambitions and its standing on the ground was evident at a town hall in Bemban last Sunday.

Held at an event space inside a shoplot, the session invited members of the public to "grill" the party's candidates on their policies. Fewer than 20 non-members turned up, a far cry from the larger ceramahs organised by established parties.

Nevertheless, the event offered voters a chance to question Bersama's candidates directly.

When met while campaigning, Bersama co-leader Rafizi Ramli told Malaysiakini the party was in a much stronger position in Malacca than during its maiden electoral outing in Johor.

He attributed this to a longer preparation period and what he described as a relatively quiet campaign by rival parties.

Bersama announced its Malacca candidates in mid-August, giving them nearly four months to campaign on the ground, compared with just two weeks of preparation for the Johor polls.

Rafizi said the party had benefited from being seen as an underdog willing to put in the work, with its campaign activities and flags becoming increasingly visible.

"The baseline is very low, because voters expected, after Johor, kita bungkus dan hilang (we'd pack up and disappear)," he said, adding that the party had surprised people by remaining active on the ground.

Convincing voters it can deliver

Rafizi said Bersama was hoping to secure more than 15 percent of the popular vote across the 16 seats it is contesting in Malacca, which he viewed as an important threshold for demonstrating its viability.

Building its own electoral strength was necessary if Bersama wanted to pursue political reforms and be taken seriously by other parties, he added.

However, accusations that Bersama was splitting votes from larger coalitions remained a challenge, particularly among urban voters and some Pakatan Harapan supporters.

Rafizi said a stronger showing in Malacca would help dispel this perception.

In Bemban, the challenge is more immediate: translating months of groundwork into support from voters who have traditionally backed established parties or remain loyal to the incumbent.

The constituency could offer the "kancil party" its clearest opportunity yet to break into Malacca politics.

But Bersama must do more than capitalise on BN and Harapan sitting out the contest. It must convince voters that it can deliver something beyond an alternative to parties they have grown disillusioned with.

READ MORE: KINIGUIDE | Malacca polls' hot seats and a rare opportunity for the kancil party

'Saya sayang isteri saya': Akmal's older brother woos Bemban voters with unique banners

COMMENT | Umno/BN's Malacca advantage

Mkini report on 'wicked Muslims' out of context, Hadi's office says

Hadi's 'wicked Muslims' remark draws flak from Harapan leaders