Kuala Terengganu.

11.1.2009.

Dollah  said UMNO must work together to win the Parliamentary seat this weekend. All the Party's big wigs are in KT. But they're not campaigning for Wan Farid, Dollah's choice as candidate - they're campaigning for themselves for the March General Assembly. Poor Dollah. He still doesn't get it ! 

Rumours have it that the candidate was not even discussed by Party Leaders - it was Dollah's pick alone. After Mahathir said this was a bad choice and after Dollah responded that Mahathir is irrelevent, it is clearly a proxy fight between the two. Up to this point Mahathir has the advantage in all previous proxy fights. 

A Chinese friend was informed by his Chinese friend in KT that the Chinese votes are going PAS's way. The reasons given are not high brow. When PAS ruled it still gave out Karaoke licences but stipulated the Muslims must not be allowed in the premises. The sale of pork and alcohol were not banned to non-Muslims. When UMNO regained control, the practice continued, but there was "consideration" demanded by UMNO officials. 

An UMNO delegate just back from KT told me that the main issue raised by voters in most of the door-to-door campaigning has been the accusation that Wan Farid is haughty (sombong). They are having a hard time with this one simple issue. Mahathir has said the same thing. Dollah himself has had to mention it  to deny it, but his arguement is as stupid as his management-style. "If he's "sombong" I wouldn't have taken him." Indeed. 

Most striking to me was the tv interview of the two UMNO-PAS candidates. I thought the PAS candidate spoke well. The UMNO candidate was trying hard to show resolve. I thought he came out showing muscle. The arithmetic, however, is the most convincing arguement. All but one of the DUNs were won by PAS in the March 08 GE, when everybody was attending to their own turf. This is now a bye-election, when all can throw their weight behind their chosen candidate. 

I predict Dollah will be given a farewell slap in Kuala Terengganu.

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