Chances are high that whoever win the coming by-elections in Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau the majority will be razor-thin. Forget about Batang Ai because the BN will take that back home for obvious reason – instant noodle Maggie mees are sufficient to do the trick. On the pessimistic note, PR (Pakatan Rakyat) could lose both Bukits – Gantang and Selambau. The perception and over-confidence that PR will win both Bukits may backfire and send PKR back to drawing board on what went wrong. The defeat of PR could spell the end of the marathon in creating two-party system in the country.

BN has actually two secret weapons to re-capture both Bukit Gantang and Selambau thanks to departure of Abdullah Badawi, not to mention the misuse of resources and machineries to the fullest. The date of the by-elections was timed to give the “feel-good” effect of the new Prime Minister Najib Razak. Sure, he was and is still tainted with the Altantuya murder scandal but it’s also true that this scandal is not a scandal anymore after months of being trumpeted by the oppositions. Former PM Mahathir was right that Malays specifically and Malaysians generally are forgetful. In fact the name “Razak” may supersede overwhelmingly the effect of Altantuya so much so that the ethnic-Malay may swing their support back to BN this time around.

Mahathir is no ordinary politician and if he can promote and demote Abdullah Badawi without costing an arm and a leg, you just got to respect this old man for his political strategies. He’s the strategist that has probably laid down most of the approaches on how to recapture the two Bukits and he cannot fail because the perception is the three by-elections are seen as referendum to Najib’s new leadership. Najib alone cannot swing the Malay-votes although the laughable and silly marketing ploy of visiting Petaling Street (Chinatown), Brickfields (Little India) and Vista Angkasa near Kampung Kerinchi (predominantly-Malay area) was played repetitively *yawn* by government-controlled media as a sign of successful One-Malaysia concept.

However the release of 13 ISA detainees has more impact than the Brickfields visit. What’s the best method to brain-wash a person so that he / she will call you “Master”? Answer: take away their freedom; break them down mentally and then give it back and you’ll see the appreciation in their faces no matter how stubborn the person was. And the trick does wonder when the Hindraf detainees are now neutralized. The Hindraf’s Makkal Sakti has been disturbing quiet. Heck, one of the Hindraf detainees had openly declared that he’s willing to exchange freedom for his support to BN. Who said ISA is outdated and should be abolished? The release of 13 ISA detainees coincidently mirrored what Mahathir did when he took over the premiership decades ago. And you don’t think Mahathir didn’t play a role in this strategy to push up Najib’s approval rating, do you?

Make no mistake about it. Mahathir knows UMNO needs more time to re-capture Chinese and Indian votes. Time is running out and so there’s no time to waste helping the Chinese voters peeling their prawns or giving away school-bags to the Indian voters. The only thing left to do is to re-swing the Malay-votes since the majority won by opposition in Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau (in 2008) were merely 1,566 and 2,362 votes respectively at the time when the support of Chinese and Indian was at their peak. You don’t think the sudden surge in candidates (in Bukit Selambau) which set the new record has nothing to do with Mahathir’s plan, do you?

The plan was to adopt the “divide and rule” concept yet again. And who’s the master of such concept if not Mahathir? If the 13 so-called independent candidates can somehow “steal” 2,000 to 3,000 votes away from the table, BN stands a very good chance of recapturing Bukit Selambau. With PR’s over-confidence, phantom voters, Najib’s factor and Mahathir’s influence Bukit Selambau is as good as in BN’s pocket. To make matter worse youngsters who were with opposition during last general election are not about to sacrifice their time to go back and vote – the repeat of great victories seen in Permatang Pauh and Kuala Trengganu may not materialize after all. Despite Anwar’s statement that Mahathir is not a fear-factor, Mahathir’s cunning strategy could be fatal and Anwar may need to eat his humble pie this time. After all this is actually an indirect battle between Mahathir and Anwar. It’s scary to think of the domino-effect should PR lose either of the Bukits, let alone both Bukits.

Other Articles That May Interest You …

• Congratulations PM Najib Razak and Tun Abdullah Badawi
• “One Malaysia” – April Fool’s Slogan to Fool You Again?
• Hail the new King – Najib the Great and his Knights
• Mahathir’s Racist Agenda – Dynasty’s Survival Series
• Flip-flop Badawi to the Exit Corridor – from Hero to Zero
• The Return of Sex Actor and Mahathirism

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April 6th, 2009 by financetwitter

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