MELAKA goes to the polls on Nov 14 in a state election that could be a harbinger of the changes to come on the national stage when the country casts its ballots for the 16th General Election (GE16).
The Melaka state election will also be widely seen as a referendum on the policies of Pakatan Harapan (PH) since its ascension to the pinnacle of federal power.
So, how will the Melaka voters play the game? What will influence them to decide that PH should be the coalition worth supporting? Or will they all root for a resurgent Barisan Nasional (BN)?
All 79 candidates on the campaign trail will be mouthing aggressively the respective stand of their parties. Considering that this is an election that could trigger a GE16 battle sooner than expected, the attacks and counter-attacks will be intense.
Reformasi and Hidup Islam (Long Live Islam) that supporters of opposing camps chanted on nomination day on Oct 31 marked the start of the slogan war that is just as pivotal as casting the actual ballots.
A catchy political slogan can sway public opinion and even determine the outcome of a general election.
If a political party can come up with a slogan that resonates with the wishes of the people, it stands a good chance of capturing power.
Reformasi started off as a political slogan coined in 1998 by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the then deputy prime minister (DPM) in the cabinet of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Over the years it grew into a popular reformist movement and today it is still the slogan and battle cry of PH, especially Anwar’s PKR.
Hidup Islam can also be considered a slogan but it is more a rallying cry or catchphrase of the opposition coalition bloc Perikatan Nasional (PN) whose heavyweight partner PAS frequently uses it to advance its religious agenda.
Clinging to its Reformasi roots, PH is banking on its economic achievements and other promises of reforms to influence the Melaka electorate.
PH’s mild demeanour
Reformasi embodies all the ideals and aspirations of PKR whereby as a component of PH, the ruling coalition wants to rekindle the spirit of reforms to get the country moving along the path of modernisation and technological advancement.
The governing coalition wants to stay clear of sensitive issues that can cause instability. This is the approach that PH secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has said will guide the conduct of PH.
“Our red line is to completely reject the politics of hatred, the politics of incitement …” he reportedly said.
In other words, PH candidates will not resort to gutter politics but behave like gentlemen interested only in debating real policy issues.
This benign approach is commendable but will it catch fire? Will it be effective in mobilising the Malay electorate to cast their ballots for PH merely on the strength of its economic record?
Now comrades in arms, BN and PN will most likely go on the attack with religion and race as their battering ram. The war cry Hidup Islam will fill the air wherever and whenever their candidates deliver their speeches.
For PAS, the religious-fuelled slogan is its most potent weapon as it believes that the people now are more receptive to the idea of the Islamist party taking federal power after GE16.
Ultra-conservatives like PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang and ultra-rightists like Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh will have a field day in Melaka harping on religion and race to the hilt to wreak the maximum damage on PH.
A past master at whipping up religious fervour, Hadi will not pass up the chance to press ahead with his agenda, especially during election season. Melaka could be his fertile playground for making a strong pitch for the party’s ideology and principles.
Hidup Islam roar drowns Reformasi cry
Akmal, contesting in the Merlimau state seat, is an expert at running down the other races. If he wins big in defending his seat against Melaka Amanah women’s wing chief Rahayu Hamzah, it will reinforce his credential as the indisputable hero and defender of the Malay community.
Call him the “warrior poster boy” in the Melaka drama, if you like.
At a time when religion has come to be the overriding issue for the dominant race, the slogan Hidup Islam will probably consume their attention to the exclusion of all other issues.
Every time the crowd roars “Hidup Islam!”, it is an affirmation of the superiority of religion over the politics of development and material wealth.
Every time rival contestants happen to hold ceramah next to each other, the cry of “Hidup Islam!” will mostly likely drown out the cheering for Reformasi.
Every time they chant the slogan, it is also directed at DAP whom Hadi had once labelled the “enemy of Islam”. DAP which is contesting seven seats will likely bear the brunt of the concentrated fire from the PAS battery.
And every time the candidates yell “Hidup Islam!”, they are scoring brownie points by moving closer to capturing the prized trophy – forming the next state government.
It is easier for people to understand the tenets of religion than to absorb the complexities of economic statistics and growth.
A simple slogan with religious connotations like Hidup Islam is all it takes for politicians to effectively make their case in the court of public opinion.
Given the strong pull of religion in the current political climate, Hidup Islam may just give the BN-PN alliance the right push to the finishing line because nothing can beat God when His name is invoked.
On Nov 14, the banner of Islam will probably be hoisted alongside the flags of UMNO and PAS in the skies of this historic state – leaving PH to scramble for urgent answers to stay afloat in GE16.
Such an outcome will be a testimony to the power of religious slogans to sway voters in the country where bigots and extremists are in the ascendant. – Nov 5, 2026
Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
