HULU SELANGOR: The Barisan Nasional’s win in the Hulu Selangor by-election yesterday signals the people’s seal of approval for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to continue his reforms and transformation in propelling the nation to achieve Vision 2020.
The victory in this huge constituency with about 64,500 voters also shows that the ruling coalition was not fading into oblivion, as predicted by many after its massive loss in the 2008 general election, where the opposition captured five states and managed to shatter BN’s two-third majority in Parliament.
This is the 10th by-election after the 2008 general election, and the third to be won by BN.
A win here also shows that Malaysians are starting to “re-accept” BN after ditching the party in the historic 2008 general election.
Since then, BN has changed its style and ways to win the hearts and minds of the electorates and this has proven to be effective.
Najib, who became prime minister only a year ago, assisted by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s decision to “take the bull by its horns” in answering to allegations against the government by the opposition led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has played a pivotal role in ensuring victory for BN.
The prime minister’s 1Malaysia concept has also started to take root in the minds of the people and this too had a role in BN’s win.
A well-drawn plan charting the future direction of the nation has provided a sense of security for the people, who crave for development, especially in the outskirts of towns.
Najib’s role in the international arena, especially after his bilateral meeting with US President Barrack Obama on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington recently, was a clear indication that Malaysia was back on the international platform.
This too, has captured the minds of the voters, who now feel that Malaysia is back in “safe hands” with leaders who know what is best for the nation.
This win in Hulu Selangor would be a motivation for BN, since the seat represents a cross-section of the Malaysian population in the peninsula.
Of the 64,500 voters here, 34,020 or 52.7 per cent are Malays, 16,964 or 26.3 per cent Chinese, 12,453 or 19.3 per cent Indians and about 1,000 Orang Asli.
While the BN decided to nominate P Kamalanathan of the MIC as its candidate for the Malay-majority seat, it did not stop all other BN component parties to go all out to capture the votes.
Early yesterday morning, Umno fully mobilised its machinery to ferry voters to the polling centres followed by the other component parties in the peninsula, namely the MCA, MIC and Gerakan.
“Mobilisation of the huge BN machinery on polling day is always crucial. It moved without any major glitch yesterday. This explains why the voter turnout hit more than 63 per cent by 2pm. This was a very good by any account.
“When we saw their machinery moving full steam, we knew it was not good for us,” a DAP grassroot leader here told Bernama.