Selangor PH faces mammoth task to capture rural seats - Analysts

SHAH ALAM: It is a mammoth task for Pakatan Harapan (PH) to win rural parliamentary constituencies in Selangor in the 15th General Election (GE15) next month as the voters are seen to be leaning towards Barisan Nasional (BN) or PAS, according to analysts.

Selangor PH chairman Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari was reported as saying that the coalition, which currently holds 16 of the 22 parliamentary seats in Selangor, will focus on winning rural constituencies such as Sungai Besar and Sabak Bernam in the general election.

Security and political analyst with Universiti Teknologi MARA's Centre of Media and Information Warfare Studies Dr Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin said the Malay-dominated rural areas in Selangor are either UMNO or PAS strongholds, adding that PH might field 'big names' in the relevant constituencies to woo rural voters.

Echoing his sentiment was Universiti Malaya senior lecturer Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub who opined that winning the parliamentary seats in rural Selangor remained a difficult task for PH as the constituencies are dominated by Malay voters.

"This is because the areas are BN's or UMNO's bastion and the party managed to win despite the GE14 wave and now the wave is gone and there are no big issues for PH to highlight to capture the rural seats," he told Bernama when contacted.

He said even if PH fielded Malay candidates to contest the seats, the PH logo could not win the hearts of the people in the constituencies.

Political analyst Dr Azmi Hassan said rural voters especially Malays still harbour a negative perception towards PH candidates due to their link to DAP.

Previously Amirudin announced that Selangor PH would field a PKR candidate to contest the Sungai Besar parliamentary seat and a candidate from Amanah for the Sabak Bernam seat.

The Sabak Bernam seat won by UMNO in GE14 became Bersatu's when the incumbent Datuk Mohamad Fasiah Mohd Fakeh announced his departure from UMNO to join the party, while the incumbent Sungai Besar Member of Parliament Datuk Muslimin Yahaya is from Bersatu.

-- BERNAMA