Cliffhanger in Selangor

No holds barred as Pakatan, BN and PAS make their final moves

It has been Pakatan Harapan’s crown jewel for two terms but the battle for Selangor this time around will not be as clear cut. Pakatan will have to fend off Barisan Nasional and PAS, both determined to win the prized state. The victorious coalition just needs to win 29 out of the 56 seats to rule by a simple majority. But who will be the next mentri besar?

KLANG: It’s going to be a cliffhanger in Selangor with Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and PAS locked in a nailbiting race to the finish line for control of the country’s most urbanised and developed state.

Pakatan is determined to fend off Barisan and remain in power after winning the state in 2008, but Barisan maintains that there are now clear signs that it finally has the numbers to wrest the state.

PAS, which split from Pakatan Rakyat to set up the Gagasan Sejahtera pact, claims that it will be the kingmaker and has a strong say in the next state administration.

Selangor PAS election director Roslan Shahir said his party initially feared a backlash from nonMalays after going its own way.

Voter sentiments during the campaign period showed otherwise, he claimed.

He said many of the Islamist party’s candidates were local council and city hall councillors whom voters were familiar with.

PAS, he said, expected to win at least 20 seats in the 56member Selangor legislative assembly.

A simple majority of 29 seats will be required to form a state govern ment. PAS won 15 seats in the last election but two of its assemblymen later quit the party to join the splinter Amanah.

PKR vicepresident Dr Xavier Jayakumar said his party was expected to win at least 18 of the 21 seats it would be contesting.

“Of the 21 seats, we consider Permatang (under the Tanjong Karang parliamentary constituency) the most difficult while all the others are marginal seats,” he said.

Dr Xavier claimed that Indian and Chinese voters in the 21 seats had mostly made up their minds to support PKR, while 60% of the Malays were behind the party.

Selangor DAP strongman Datuk Teng Chang Khim painted an equally positive outlook for his party.

“More young people are coming forward to help the state DAP with our campaign,” said Teng who is contesting in the Klang Bandar Baru state constituency.

He said Selangor DAP hoped to win 15 of the 16 seats it was contesting.

The Sg Pelek, Kuala Kubu Baru and Sekinchan seats were among the tougher seats for the party, he said.

Selangor Barisan head of election operations Datuk Faizal Abdullah said there were clear indications that Barisan’s chances in this election were better than in 2013.

“The response we are getting from the people is much better and we are confident we will be able to get more than 20 seats,” said Faizal, adding that Barisan was targeting 30 to 33 state seats.

He said Barisan was cautiously optimistic that it would have the numbers to form the next state government.

Barisan’s chances, he explained, were good due to several factors.

“They include the absence of internal sabotage in Umno and stronger collaboration between Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan in the state.

“There are some disgruntled people but they have put aside their feelings and come forward to work to make the selected candidates win,” said Faizal.

He said the coalition’s machinery was well oiled and all the component parties were working together as one to grab Selangor from Pakatan.

Selangor MCA secretary Datuk Ng Chok Sin said the situation was looking positive for the party in Selangor.

“Not only for the MCA but for all of Barisan’s component parties,” said Ng who is contesting the Sg Pelek state seat.

Hulu Selangor MCA chief Datuk Wong Koon Mun concurred and said the Chinese community was returning to support the party in this election.

“I have been told that they have lost faith in DAP and will be throwing their support behind MCA.”

Wong, who did not contest in the 2013 election, has been brought back to wrest the Kuala Kubu Baru state seat from DAP.

There are some disgruntled people but they have put aside their feelings and come forward to work to make the selected candidates win. Datuk Faizal Abdullah