The PD Battle.

28 Sept 2018.

So what I said in a previous related blog on the coming PD Parliamentry bye-election about "anyone other than Mohamad Hassan would lose to Anwar"  has to be revisited. I withdraw that brave prediction.

Mohamad himself told me a fortnight ago that Isa Samad might challenge Anwar as an Independent. I thought at that time that it was unlikely, because he has his own problems, and because he would be going against UMNO to do so.

Yesterday afternoon I called and later visited Sainy, my old State Legislative Assembly friend, at home in PD. I'd wanted to find out what's happening now that UMNO had publicly declared they're boycotting the PD bye-election. In my mind,since UMNO has no balls for it, Isa is the best candidate. He's a PD boy, and I know they love him in PD. I wasn't surprised to hear from Sainy, who said he was meeting Isa that very night, that, yes, he's standing for the election as an Independent. In fact Isa had called him to act as his proposer on nomination day this Saturday. Since Sainy is still an UMNO branch chairman, Isa had to find another proposer.

I gave Sainy two notes to pass to Isa later. I told him to tell Isa I support him, and if he wants, I could campaign with my Lukut Chinese golfing friends. Later back home I called Durai to look up as many of his Indian friends in PD for the same purpose. 

My first note was about the racial breakup of PD. Malays are slightly more than 40%, the Chinese almost 33%, the Indians 23% and Others 3%.

My second note contained the 10 points I told Mohamad Hasan why he'd be the best candidate. But for Isa, they remain 10 good points why he's now the best person with a fighting chance to beat Anwar. The Chinese don't trust Anwar. The Indians at worst could split 50-50. The Mahathir supporters would never vote for Anwar. I told Sainy, if you do a little arithmatic you'd find at least 50% of the votes could go to Isa.

Anwar must have a good reason to pick PD, but against local favourite Isa, he's a "foreigner". I told Sainy, don't compare UMNO against PKR. Compare candidate against candidate. A personality battle. Tell that to Isa tonight. 

Last I heard, UMNO may sack Isa. I didn't say anything about it to Sainy. What the hell, UMNO is disintegrating. Ignore it. Go house to house right now. Isa's fighting chance is real.

....................................................................................................