Battle for Manik Urai begins

KUALA LUMPUR: The psychological war on the Manik Urai by-election has already started although nomination day is only on Monday, July 6 and polling day set for July 14.

The psychological-war is targeted at Tuan Aziz Tuan Mat, 39, from the Barisan Nasional (BN), less than 24 hours after he was announced as the candidate for the party on Sunday.

Tuan Aziz, the Kuala Krai Umno Youth head who was also a former manager of the Project Monitoring Division of the Kelantan Selatan Development Authority (Kesedar), was accused of being allegedly involved in malpractices but this was immediately denied by the candidate in a website.

So far, no personal attack had been made against the PAS candidate, Mohd Fauzi Abdullah, 50, the Kuala Krai PAS treasurer, who is also a fish wholesaler at the Pasar Besar Kuala Krai.

In politics, personal attacks are often used as an effective weapon to create a negative perception on the opponent, especially in an area dominated by a particular ethnic group such as in Manik Urai.

This is because the manipulation of racial and religious issues are no longer relevant. In Manik Urai, 99.2 per cent of the 12,292 voters are Malays.

The blogger "Sang Kelembai" or Zaharin Mohd Yasin described perception as an important element in politics and it is up to the people concerned to use their wisdom for specific gain.

Several political analysts interviewed by Bernama described perception management as the major challenge for BN in Manik Urai in capturing the PAS stronghold.

"The BN has to use psychology in Manik Urai," said political analyst Prof Dr Ahmad Atory Hussein, from Universiti Sains Malaysia.

He said the BN must also avoid going on personal attacks especially against top opposition leaders such as PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who is also Kelantan Menteri Besar.

"This is because in Kelantan Nik Abdul Aziz is respected by both friends and foes. What is important is for the BN to emphasise on giving information on what it wants to do in the constituency and promote Tuan Aziz as the people's candidate," he said.

Meanwhile, a political analyst from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Prof Madya Dr Mohammad Agus Yusoff, said both candidates are seen to have equal chances of winning.

"I think the candidate factor does not give any advantage to either party. The result in Manik Urai depends on how Umno manages the perception of the people on the party because issues are no longer pertinent here," he said.

"Umno must have the ability to rebut whatever allegations made by the opponents if it were to win the voters' support. Politics of threat such as saying no development will be forthcoming if the voters don't support the BN, will no longer work," he said. (By SYED AZWAN SYED ALI, Bernama)