GE14: Kedah election campaign has still not gained momentum




By Zabidi Ishar

ALOR SETAR, May 3 (Bernama) -- Six days after nomination day on May 28, the 14th General Election (GE14) campaign in Kedah has still not gained momentum although this time around the election is very important not only for the country but also for the political climate in Kedah.

There was no sign of a poster war either, as in some places the contesting parties had not even put up any posters or banners, livening up the city or the villages.

Barisan Nasional (BN), for example, seems a bit slow in campaigning compared to PAS and the opposition coalition using the PKR logo which were a bit more aggressive to enter the village and Felda areas.

Kedah is focusing on former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed who is contesting the Langkawi parliamentary seat and his son, who is also former Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz who is contesting the Jerlun parliamentary seat and Jitra state seat.

Almost every day the opposition holds talks promising the moon and stars, to which sometimes the listeners are seen shaking their heads at the far-fetched and illogical pledges that the opposition say they would implement if they win.

The opposition party PAS also featured its own party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and the party's top leaders who entered the villages to give talks on the need to choose a party based on Islam.

But interestingly, the PAS talks this time was seen hitting out at Amanah whose candidates were also contesting in Kedah and also PPBM, particularly at Dr Mahathir.

The BN candidates were more focused on meeting people at the markets, restaurants and at some programmes attended by the local community. They (BN candidates) seemed more comfortable with the voters visiting their homes, meeting the locals and visiting the district polling centres in their respective areas.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah who is also state BN chairman, said he was happy with the favourable response to the campaign by the BN candidates.

Kedah BN is fielding 15 new faces in GE14 for the state seats and three for the parliamentary seats.

In the 13th General Election, BN won 10 seats out of the 15 parliamentary seats, PKR (four) and PAS (one), now PAS has no seat after the former Pokok Sena member of parliament Datuk Mahfuz Omar joined Amanah.

For the state seats also, BN controlled 21 seats (now only 20 seats after Mukhriz joined PPBM), PAS (nine), PKR (four) and DAP (two).

-- BERNAMA