Published January 7, 2009

Umno the underdog in Terengganu poll

It's pulling out all the stops with top guns campaigning in state

By S JAYASANKARAN
IN KUALA LUMPUR

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ALTHOUGH the Jan 17 battle for Malaysia's Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat is a three-cornered fight, it will boil down to a straight contest between the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (Pas). And Umno is coming across as the underdog.

Three-way fight: The three candidates are (from left) Abdul Wahid Endut of Pas, Wan Ahmad Farid Salleh of Umno and independent Azharuddin Mamat

When nominations closed yesterday in the north-eastern state of Terengganu, three candidates made the cut: Umno's Wan Ahmad Farid Salleh, Pas's Abdul Wahid Endut and independent Azharuddin Mamat.

The last is a relative non-entity who could draw 600 or so votes - but these could decide who wins the seat.

In last year's March 8 general election, an independent won more votes than the winning majority of Umno's Razali Ismail, whose death last month led to the coming by-election.

Observers could be forgiven for thinking this is a general election. Umno chieftains, led by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, have descended on Terengganu's sleepy capital on the shores of the South China Sea.

'There are more police here than locals, and there are even helicopters over the city,' said a Kuala Lumpur-based political analyst, who is in Kuala Terengganu to observe the campaign firsthand. 'The Barisan Nasional (BN, or the ruling National Front coalition) is really throwing in resources here, showing off its power.'

The by-election comes at a crucial time for Umno, as Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, 68, prepares to hand over the reins in March to Mr Najib, 55.

Mr Abdullah's hand was forced after last year's general election, in which the Front lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority and five states - its worst outing since Independence.

Umno desperately needs to win Kuala Terengganu, not just to restore its credibility after its disastrous general election result but also to affirm that it alone is the true political champion of the ethnic Malays who make up 64 per cent of Malaysia's population. Malays make up almost 90 per cent of the Kuala Terengganu electorate.

To a lesser extent, the by-election is viewed by many in the opposition as a referendum on Mr Najib's ascension, partly because he is leading the fight there. The deputy premier has downplayed the symbolism, but the opposition has made it a main campaign point.

One reason for this is the opposition is confident that it will win. Political analysts aren't so sure, though, saying it will be a close race. But much is being made of Umno's choice of candidate. The party's Mr Wan Farid, a senator and deputy home minister, used to be Mr Abdullah's political secretary and is a close friend of Khairy Jamaluddin, Mr Abdullah's controversial son-in-law.

Although born in Terengganu, Mr Wan Farid generally lives and works in Kuala Lumpur, unlike his Pas rival in the by-election, who's about as local as it gets. The Pas candidate, Mr Abdul Wahid, is a three-time state assemblyman from Kuala Terengganu and a very popular figure in the area.

Mr Wan Farid's connections have not been lost on former premier Mahathir Mohamad, who has labelled him the wrong man. 'The choice of candidate by BN is bad because everybody sees him as just a proxy,' Dr Mahathir told reporters on Monday. 'He is just someone to be used later on if Najib becomes prime minister.'

Dr Mahathir did not name the 'user', but it is clear to everyone that he was referring to either Mr Abdullah or Mr Khairy - both of whom he dislikes.

Umno officials privately admit that Dr Mahathir's remarks are damaging and could hurt Mr Wan Farid's by-election chances.