The choice made by 40 percent fence-sitters can spring a surprise for the three political parties contesting in the Sungai Besar by-election on June 18.
Political analyst from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Assoc Prof Datuk Samsu Adabi Mamat said the fence-sitters' decision would be one of the interesting elements in the by-election, as their votes were seen as an "incentive" for the contesting parties, particularly PAS after it left the opposition pact, Pakatan Rakyat.
"Previously, they were mainly PAS and Pakatan Rakyat supporters. However, after PAS quit Pakatan Rakyat, the fence-sitters may be divided in voting for which side as their party had split.
"Perhaps they will now favour Amanah or BN (Barisan Nasional) or not vote at all. We don't know as anything can happen without us expecting it," he told Bernama.
The Sungai Besar parliamentary seat by-election will see a three-cornered fight involving BN, PAS and its breakaway group, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), following the death of the incumbent MP Tan Sri Noriah Kasnon, who was also Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister, in a helicopter crash in Sebuyau, Sarawak on May 5.
In the 13th general election (GE13), Noriah defeated PAS candidate Mohamed Salleh M Hussin with a 399-vote majority.
Samsu Adabi who is an expert on Islamic politics and Muslim minorities, said in the GE13, 30 percent of the votes went each to BN and Pakatan Rakyat, while 40 percent of the voters were fence-sitters.
"In this by-election, however, the 30 per cent votes for Pakatan Rakyat will be split into half after PAS quit the pact. Perhaps 20 per cent will now go to Amanah which is representing Pakatan Harapan and only 10 percent to PAS, or maybe it's the other way round. But the number of fence-sitters remains the same.
"Budiman will spring a surprise as he has no problems with the UMNO grassroots and he is also popular with the Chinese community in Sungai Besar," he said.
Barisan Nasional is fielding Budiman Mohd Zohdi, the Sungai Panjang assemblyman, to defend the Sungai Besar seat.
"Walkabouts, ceramah sessions and visits to the homes of the needy can help draw support from voters, especially the Chinese. Any possible surprise cannot be underestimated as PAS and Amanah may also spring a surprise," said Samsu Adabi.
Geostrategist Prof Dr Azmi Hassan from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said: "BN can win in this by-election as Budiman is a local, who the residents of Sungai Besar find approachable and friendly, which is a bonus to his party."
Azmi is optimistic that BN will be able to increase its majority votes this time, while he expects Amanah candidate Azhar Abdul Shukur to have difficulty capturing the seat compared to his two challengers, Budiman and Dr Abdul Rani Osman from PAS.
He said the two (Budiman and Abdul Rani) had better credentials in terms of profile and reputation as they were no strangers in Selangor, while the Amanah candidate held no political position and his political involvement had not been conspicuous.
Bernama
Sat Jun 11 2016
Samsu Adabi says fence-sitters' votes will be an "incentive" for the contesting parties, particularly PAS.
Kelantan: 70 peratus kemalangan maut babit penunggang, pembonceng motosikal
70 peratus kes kemalangan maut yang dicatat berlaku dari 1 hingga 26 April di Kelantan, membabitkan penunggang dan pembonceng motosikal.
[TERKINI] WEF | Pembangunan dunia yang tidak seimbang, Apa Solusi?
Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Dunia (WEF) di Arab Saudi merungkai masalah ekonomi dan ketidakseimbangan pembangunan yang sedang melanda dunia. Menteri MITI, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz dan Menteri Kewangan Arab Saudi, Mohammed Al-Jadaan berada sepentas merungkai masalah dunia yang memberi impak kepada semua negara.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Calon PH, PN bertembung ketika kempen
Dua calon yang bersaing bagi PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu hari ini bertembung buat kali pertama sejak hari penamaan calon semalam.
AWANI Ringkas: 1MDB - Polis Jerman rampas 4 kereta Bugatti Veyron edisi terhad
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Gempa bumi Indonesia, Tasikmalaya paling terjejas
Sekurang-kurangnya empat orang cedera dan 27 keluarga lagi terkesan selepas satu gempa bumi dengan magnitud 6.2 melanda Daerah Garut di Jawa Barat pada pukul 11.29 pagi waktu tempatan, Ahad.
Air penstabil dan pemangkin pembangunan negara - Fadillah Yusof
Air merupakan komponen penting yang bertindak sebagai penstabil dan pemangkin untuk pembangunan negara yang mampan.
Pelaburan RM2.4 bilion dibawa masuk ke Terengganu - MB
Sebanyak RM2.4 bilion nilai pelaburan yang berpotensi sedang dibawa masuk ke Terengganu setakat bulan April ini.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Kelayakan akademik bukan isu calon PN - Pas
Kempen PN sempena PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu tidak akan terjejas berikutan isu yang mengaitkan kelayakan akademik calonnya, Khairul Azhari Saut.
Peniaga nasi kukus raih jualan RM14,000 sebulan
Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat (IPR) mampu merubah graf pendapatan bulanan peserta apabila meningkatkan hasil jualan.
Piala Uber: Malaysia tewas kepada Taiwan
Malaysia memulakan kempen Kumpulan B Piala Uber 2024 mereka dengan langkah kiri apabila tewas 1-4 kepada Taiwan, di sini hari ini.
Tengku Adnan didapati bersalah terima rasuah RM2 juta
Hakim ketika menyampaikan keputusan berkata pihak pembelaan yang diketuai Datuk Tan Hock Chuan gagal menimbulkan keraguan yang munasabah atas pertuduhan itu.
Keputusan kes rasuah RM2 juta Tengku Adnan pagi ini
Beliau didakwa melakukan perbuatan itu di CIMB Bank Berhad, cawangan Pusat Bandar Damansara, di sini, pada 14 Jun 2016.
'Rekod belanja RM1.013 juta ketika PRK Sungai Besar dilupuskan'
Mahkamah Tinggi diberitahu, tarikh dan rekod perbelanjaan dilupuskan selepas sebulan Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Sungai Besar, Selangor berlangsung.
Tanjung Piai Memilih: Dilayan macam selebriti, Wee Jeck Seng masih tak yakin boleh menang
Biarpun dilayan seolah-olah selebriti, calon Barisan Nasional Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng masih tidak begitu yakin untuk memenangi kembali Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Tanjung Piai ini.
Kekuatan Pas diuji pada PRU14
Dr Sivamurugan Pandian berkata, kemampuan Pas diuji melibatkan kawasan bercampur atau majoriti kaum Cina yang sebelum ini dibantu sokongan DAP untuk menang di kawasan itu.
Keputusan PRK beri isyarat pembangkang akan gulung tikar dalam PRU14 - Periasamy
Menurut analisa statistik keputusan PRK yang baru berlangsung, sokongan pengundi Melayu kelihatan terbahagi dua.
PAS tidak akan sertai Pakatan Harapan - Mohd Amar
PAS belum muktamadkan agenda perbincangan dan post mortem selepas keputusan pilihan raya kecil (PRK) Kuala Kangsar dan Sungai Besar.
Amanah tak mampu bertanding sendirian tanpa sokongan DAP, PKR - Mohd Amar
Naib Presiden PAS itu berkata, Amanah mendapat undi yang tinggi melebihi PAS di Parlimen Sungai Besar kerana undi masyarakat Cina yang menyokong DAP di kawasan berkenaan.
Najib lebih daripada mampu ketuai BN untuk PRU14 - Abdul Rahman
Kemenangan PRK membuktikan adalah salah dakwaan bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad kononnya BN akan kalah di bawah kepimpinan Najib.
Pasca PRK: Parti pembangkang perlu bermuhasabah - Azmin
Azmin Ali mengajak semua parti pembangkang untuk kembali berunding bagi menyusun strategi dalam menghadapi Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14.