Attempting to shed its racial image in Johor, particularly the voters of Gelang Patah, DAP has strategized an approach that is seen as diluting the Malay’s minds and hearts by giving heaps of praises for former Prime Minister from Johor Tun Hussein Onn.
Lim Kit Siang has begun conducting ‘psychological war’ against defending Abdul Ghani Othman when he started praising the goal of late Tun Hussein Onn to eliminate corruption, cronyism and abuses of power.
Hammering into the hearts and minds of Malay voters that are crucial to see him win, Lim also praised his opponent Abdul Ghani Othman as one who ios moderate and rational and a person who has brought development and progress to Johor the past 18 years.
“But he does not sound himself when he rails against PR’s racial polarization and if I win, PAS’ Abdul Hadi would be Prime Minister,” he said at a press conference.
Talks in Gelang Patah have it MCA’s Jason Teoh has a good hold on approximately 35,000 Chinese voters who are considered as slightly more than half of the total Chinese voters in the constituency.
With such talks and background, DAP has got no choice but to make attempts to sway the minds of Malays, instead of leaving them to PAS and PKR.
Lim’s onslaught on Gelang Patah has forced Abdul Ghani to the forefront to defend the state from being polarized as his administration thus far has managed to integrate the various races through the wholesome development plan he has been implementing.
There is no one area in Gelang Patah where the concentration is purely of one race as Abdul Ghani has planned them in such a manner that every housing estate has mixed occupants.
Not wanting DAP’s kind of politics that would see polarization even when the party is a part of the opposition pact comprising Islamic fundamentalist PAS and liberal PKR, Abdul Ghani intends to stop the ‘invasion’ of the opposition’s brand of politics that would undermine the hard work he has put up.
On the third day of campaigning, DAP has been very vigorous and active in holding ceramahs in Chinese areas, leaving the Malay and Indian areas in the suburbs and kampungs to PAS and PKR.
The usual ways of DAP, PAS and PKR, their ceramahs are usually pact with loud clappings and shouts of agreeing to whatever being spoken on stage.
BN on the other hand, has been moving in a very quiet manner and in small groups rather than the mammoth or big ceramahs as Abdul Ghani personally meet one-to-one with the voters.
Seen as slow and Abdul Ghani himself is quite reserved when questions by the media on the meet-the-people sessions, BN’s strategy is considered as more effective as it is a direct approach to individual voter.
Slow as it seem, Abdul Ghani has covered Kampung Bukit Tempurung, Hoon Hwa Chinese School in Kangkar Pulai, the Kangkar Pulai housing area, Taman Melawati in Skudai and the night market of Taman Sri Skudai.
Lim, on the other hand had held a mammoth ceramah at Dataran Sutera Mall in Skudai, the wet market in Gelang Patah town and a walk about in Chinese areas in Skudai.
