LAISI: Run Up To General Election - Pasir Mas 4 Mac 2008

Monday, March 3, 2008

Run Up To General Election - Pasir Mas 4 Mac 2008

The BN Story

In the earlier post I wrote about the Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali's side because he is a well known figure. There is no need for me to dig up much or to introduce him anymore because he has been in the news for various reasons. So now I am going to write about his opponent representing the BN side.
Tuan Haji Ahmad Rosdi is from Wakaf Bharu, Tumpat. Somehow he becomes a member of UMNO Pasir Mas and was elected as The UMNO Youth Head. It must have been the crazy redelienation of the constituencies that goes beyond district borders that put people of one district into another constituency. I dont know if this is still maintained.
Ahmad Rosdi being an UMNO District Youth Head is a very powerful position indeed knowing that the Deputy Head at national level is no less than the son in law of The UMNO President himself who happens to be The Prime Minister of Malaysia. Since the UMNO Youth Head himself doesn't seem to wield much power, it can be safely concluded that the connection to the prime minister is the source of power.
Ahmad Rssdi was eyeing the Chetok State seat. Being his debut attempt, I would say the Chetok state seat is more suitable from him. Furthermore his wife's family is in Kampung Kangkong which is within the Chetok contituency. Family ties are important in Kelantan politics as a family member will sometimes try to help.
Parliamentary constituency should be reserved for the Head of Division unless you are slated to be the Menteri Besar designate like Datuk Awang Adek Hussin. The earlier announcement by Datuk Annuar Musa, the State UMNO Liason Chief that Dato' Halim Ahmad would be standing for Parliamentary Pasir Mas seat and no place for Datuk Abdul Rahim did raise some eyebrows. How come? Shouldn't he be contesting? What is politics if you dont aspire to be a Yang Berhormat?
When Dato' Halim Ahmad withdrew from the nomination a void was created which gave a place to Datuk Rahim. By right the Division head should fill up the vacancy meaning Datuk Abdul Rahim Abd. Rahman should take on Datuk Paduka Ibrahim Ali which was what Ibrahim Ali was eagerly anticipating. It was Datuk Abdul Rahim working in cohort with a few other prominent UMNO state leaders that led to the dethroning of Ibrahim Ali from the Pasir Mas Division Head while he was away overseas at that time. So he has an axe to grind with Datuk Rahim. This is an opportunity to payback to Datuk Rahim. It was not to be as Datuk Rahim quickly place himself in DUN Chetok and let Ahmad Rosdi take on Ibrahim Ali for the parliament seat.
In Pasir Mas Ahmad Rusdi is considered a newbie. Even as a newbie you still have to start somewhere right?. So this is a good start as any. Should Khairy Jamaluddin ascend to the throne of Prime Ministership, people like Ahmad Rusdi will be playing a bigger role in Pasir Mas and Kelantan's politics. Should he wins himself a seat of course.
Actually I have taken a picture of Ahmad Rusdi being shouldered by his supporters immediately after the nomination. Only that I didn't realise it was him until I saw his posters yesterday.
Ahmad Rusdi Mohamad is the BN candidate for Pasir Mas parliamentary seat.

I don't have much back ground info about him. Suffice to say that he looked matured enough. He is a licensced contractor with many projects in hand. His company Kubang Batang Puspasari S/Bhd. and perhaps a few other companies set up to benefit from the many larghese from the government. Among the projects being done are The Sekolah Menenggah Kampong Dangar in Pasir Mas and Customs Complex in Bukit Bunga. Reliable sources told me that another project that was awarded to him in 2007 on a direct negotiated tender basis is the road construction from Paloh 2 to Paloh 3 and Paloh3 to Lebir. These two packages are said to be behind schedule by 30 percent and designated as 'project sakit'. A teacher friend had the misfortune of being posted in Lebir and recently he got stuck on the muddy patch of the uncompleted road when rain felled during the nomination day period. If he were to vote in Pasir Mas, and if he were to know that the contractor for the road is standing for election, he will definitely not vote for the candidate. Hopefully this parliamentary candidate will not spend too much money from the project on this election since it will further delay the completion of the much needed road. With the road in that condition, Kampung Lebir can be considered as the Siberia of Malaysia. I know cos I had been there.

Right from the nomination day on 24th February, we saw the proliferation of flags, posters and and the setting of posts by both parties namely BN and PAS that was contesting. I can understand the need for the posters and flags but I can't understand the need of the greatly decorated posts. A post is just like a shelter and set up some distance from one another. Every night this posts are manned and you can see people hanging around there practically doing nothing other than chatting, smoking and if there is money provided by the parties or contestants themselves, there will be food and drink.
Setting up posts in an area where one party is dominant is no problem but it will become a challenge for the other party to set up one around the same area. It is a victory of sort if one party can put up a post in an area dominated by another party.
Thus far, the posts set up by PAS seems to be merrier especially if it is one that belongs to the parliamentary candidate which is seperate from the one for the DUN. Already there are talks that some of the BN posts are being closed due to the lack of fund to maintain them. Maintaining them is just to provide food and drinks and better still if ciggarettes are also available. A BN supporter friends said that money will only be available from the 5th of March (which is tomorrow) when BN will step up its gear in its campaign. They are going all out from tomorrow onwards.
One stark difference from the BN party workers and PAS party workers is that the PAS party workers are willing to work for free and sometimes even donating their own money. That speaks volumes for their committment for the party. To them it is what you can give to the party and not what the party can give to you. On the other hand the PAS Parliamentary posts seems to be well funded. Food and drink flows freely there much to the frustration of the BN workers. Will the BN workers be able to hold on till the 5th of March when funds are supposed to trickle in?
Here are some pictures to illustrate the poster wars going on in Pasir Mas and some cheeky messages being conveyed via the posters. They are from both sides. The pictures are not in oreder and some are from areas outside of Pasir Mas such as Kota Bharu and Wakaf Baru.