Is Kajang suffering from election fatigue?
Aidila RazakPublished: Mar 13, 2014 10:22 AM | Updated: Mar 13, 2014 12:21 PM
ANALYSIS At 10pm on Day 2 of the much-talked about Kajang by-election, there were hardly 50 people milling about at the Selangor government-sponsored carnival right smack in the middle of the constituency of about 39,000 people.
Down the road, another Selangor government carnival at the Kajang Stadium was not faring any better. With flood lights bathing the arena, it was obvious there were more traders than patrons that Wednesday night...
ANALYSIS At 10pm on Day 2 of the much-talked about Kajang by-election, there were hardly 50 people milling about at the Selangor government-sponsored carnival right smack in the middle of the constituency of about 39,000 people.
Down the road, another Selangor government carnival at the Kajang Stadium was not faring any better. With floodlights bathing the arena, it was obvious there were more traders than patrons that Wednesday night.
More conspicuous, however, was the no-show by PKR candidate Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, whose schedule that day said she would make an appearance at both places with her husband, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.
In another part of the constituency, 200 people, at the most, were gathered in front of a restaurant to hear PKR deputy president Azmin Ali speak at 10.30pm.
Business for surrounding food stalls was brisk, but it was hardly the mega ceramah Pakatan Rakyat often sees in its by-election campaign trails.
It was later revealed that Wan Azizah skipped the carnivals because she was there the night before, but Malaysiakini found the carnivals on Day 1 of the campaign just as empty.
In the centre of the town, famous for its satay, and at the other dimly-lit surrounding suburbs, Kajang exudes a sense of election fatigue.
After all, it has been more than a month since incumbent representative Lee Chin Cheh resigned and PKR has been holding rallies since then.
Same, but 'different' at BN sessions
Things were “same-same but different” at the BN camp. Same, in a way that campaigns in earnest appear to have yet to shift into gear, but different as there were goodies to be had.
Less than a kilometre away, in Taman Delima, BN's candidate Chew Mei Fun speaks to about 150 mostly Indian audience at a playing field at the low-cost housing estate.
The mood is slightly more upbeat compared with the Chinese dinner hosted by Chew at Prescott Hotel an hour before, where less than 100 ate silently despite the best efforts of the emcees to rouse excitement.
At the event at Taman Delima, the crowd were clutching cards to claim their "mystery gift".
Only Kajang voters are allowed to claim their prize - either a toaster, a kettle or a gas stove - and Chew had to wade through the group jostling for their appliance to shake hands with all.
M Letchumy, 45, said she is happy with the gift, but the appliance doesn't mean much to her.
"It is better for them to prove that they will fulfil all the promises made," Letchumy said, admitting that she is a hardcore BN supporter.
Taman Delima MIC Wanita branch chief G Kalaichelvi denied that the gifts were for "vote-buying", saying that the low-income families could use this assistance.
Kalaichelvi said MIC has also arranged for government agencies to come down to the area to assist with identity cards applications - a problem among Indians in the constituency, despite it being an urban area less than an hour from downtown Kuala Lumpur.
Campaign still in early days
The gathering is told that if they received the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia, identity cards and other assistance, then they should vote the “dacing”.
Asked what he would do now that he has received a toaster, one Kajang voter kept his vote even closer than the appliance he clutched to his chest: "I will make toast!"
Flags and posters are few and far in between, but perhaps it is still in the early days.
It is also too soon to say if the last minute swap of political juggernaut Anwar with his wife and party president Wan Azizah will raise underdog Chew's chances. Also, the activities on the campaign trail are still too thin to give much indication.
Unlike the round-the-clock campaigning in other by-elections, the scorching heat and haze befalling Kajang, too, seem to keep party workers and candidates indoors between early morning and late evening.
A Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (Umcedel) study found that most Kajang voters - many of whom are academicians and civil servants due to the proximity of universities and Putrajaya - rely on the Internet for news and information. This could also explain the low turnout at ceremah sessions.
Both BN and PKR have fought numerous by-elections in the past few years, most of these in the rural or semi-rural areas and therefore, far from the epicentre of Malaysian politics. However, Kajang is a different game altogether.
Down the road, another Selangor government carnival at the Kajang Stadium was not faring any better. With floodlights bathing the arena, it was obvious there were more traders than patrons that Wednesday night.
More conspicuous, however, was the no-show by PKR candidate Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, whose schedule that day said she would make an appearance at both places with her husband, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.In another part of the constituency, 200 people, at the most, were gathered in front of a restaurant to hear PKR deputy president Azmin Ali speak at 10.30pm.
Business for surrounding food stalls was brisk, but it was hardly the mega ceramah Pakatan Rakyat often sees in its by-election campaign trails.
It was later revealed that Wan Azizah skipped the carnivals because she was there the night before, but Malaysiakini found the carnivals on Day 1 of the campaign just as empty.In the centre of the town, famous for its satay, and at the other dimly-lit surrounding suburbs, Kajang exudes a sense of election fatigue.
After all, it has been more than a month since incumbent representative Lee Chin Cheh resigned and PKR has been holding rallies since then.
Same, but 'different' at BN sessions
Things were “same-same but different” at the BN camp. Same, in a way that campaigns in earnest appear to have yet to shift into gear, but different as there were goodies to be had.
Less than a kilometre away, in Taman Delima, BN's candidate Chew Mei Fun speaks to about 150 mostly Indian audience at a playing field at the low-cost housing estate.The mood is slightly more upbeat compared with the Chinese dinner hosted by Chew at Prescott Hotel an hour before, where less than 100 ate silently despite the best efforts of the emcees to rouse excitement.
At the event at Taman Delima, the crowd were clutching cards to claim their "mystery gift".
Only Kajang voters are allowed to claim their prize - either a toaster, a kettle or a gas stove - and Chew had to wade through the group jostling for their appliance to shake hands with all.
M Letchumy, 45, said she is happy with the gift, but the appliance doesn't mean much to her."It is better for them to prove that they will fulfil all the promises made," Letchumy said, admitting that she is a hardcore BN supporter.
Taman Delima MIC Wanita branch chief G Kalaichelvi denied that the gifts were for "vote-buying", saying that the low-income families could use this assistance.
Kalaichelvi said MIC has also arranged for government agencies to come down to the area to assist with identity cards applications - a problem among Indians in the constituency, despite it being an urban area less than an hour from downtown Kuala Lumpur.
Campaign still in early days
The gathering is told that if they received the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia, identity cards and other assistance, then they should vote the “dacing”.
Asked what he would do now that he has received a toaster, one Kajang voter kept his vote even closer than the appliance he clutched to his chest: "I will make toast!"
Flags and posters are few and far in between, but perhaps it is still in the early days.
It is also too soon to say if the last minute swap of political juggernaut Anwar with his wife and party president Wan Azizah will raise underdog Chew's chances. Also, the activities on the campaign trail are still too thin to give much indication.Unlike the round-the-clock campaigning in other by-elections, the scorching heat and haze befalling Kajang, too, seem to keep party workers and candidates indoors between early morning and late evening.
A Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (Umcedel) study found that most Kajang voters - many of whom are academicians and civil servants due to the proximity of universities and Putrajaya - rely on the Internet for news and information. This could also explain the low turnout at ceremah sessions.
Both BN and PKR have fought numerous by-elections in the past few years, most of these in the rural or semi-rural areas and therefore, far from the epicentre of Malaysian politics. However, Kajang is a different game altogether.
AIDILA RAZAK is a member of the Malaysiakini team.
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