SUCH is presumably the conclusion derived by a political observer who wondered if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s legacy has seemingly ended in Penang following Pakatan Harapan (PH)-PKR loss in the Sungai Bakap by-election over the weekend.
“That Anwar was born in Sungai Bakap yet PH lost in the Sg Bakap polls shows that Penang Malays still reject Anwar and his family members since GE15 (15th General Election),” tweeted Jess (@jezlai) on the X platform.
“That’s why Anwar dares not appear to campaign in Sungai Bakap. Will Anwar or daughter Nurul Izzah dare to contest in Permatang Pauh in GE16?”
“Anwar legacy ended in Penang”
Anwar born in Sg Bakap yet PH lost in PRK Sg Bakap shows Penang Malays still reject Anwar & Anwar family members since GE15.
That’s why Anwar dares not appear to campaign in Sg Bakap.
Will Anwar / Izzah dare contest in Permatang Pauh in GE16? https://t.co/yImDWeZvRo pic.twitter.com/OcCrrrscWm— Jess (@jezlai) July 6, 2024
For the record PKR candidate Perikatan Nasional (PN)-PAS candidate Abidin Ismail who garnered 14,489 votes defeated PH-PKR’s Dr Joohari Ariffin who polled 10,222 votes in the by-election with a majority of 4,267 votes despite the latter boasting better election machinery in the run-up to the polling day.
Moreover, the majority obtained by the PAS candidate this time around far exceeded the 1,563 garnered by incumbent the late Nor Zamri Latiff (also from PAS) during the Aug 12 six-state election last year. Recall that Zamri’s demise from stomach ailment on May 24 had triggered Saturday’s (July 6) polling,
Jess further took a swipe at Penang PKR chief Nurul Izzah who herself lost in the contest for the Permatang Pauh’s parliamentary seat in GE15 to first-term PAS candidate Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan as a “sour grape”.
For the uninitiated, Fawwaz’s victory in the 2022 national polls was a significant upset as he defeated the incumbent MP to end the Anwar family’s 40-year hold on the parliamentary seat.
This is a huge contrast to departing British PM Rishi Sunak who graciously accepted the defeat of his Conservative Party in the recent UK general election to the Labour Party and even apologised to all British citizens for failing to deliver to their expectations.
Jess’s observation has somehow triggered more insight into what commoners/the grassroots think about the PH reign in both Penang and at the national level.
In fact, there is another social media post by fellow political observer Anak Malaysia ✨🇲🇾 (@RMalanjum_) who brushed aside Nurul Izzah’s claim of “racial talk” as being a major contributing factor to PH’s defeat over the weekend. – July 9, 2024
Nurul Izzah kata “racial talk” dan fitnah menyebabkan calon PHUMNO tewas dalam pilihanraya kecil Sungai Bakap.
Aku gelak je baca alasan ni. Setahu aku, Nurul Izzah paling cerdik dalam PH. Kalau yang paling cerdik pun level macamni, memang PH takde harapan dah ler.
Nurul Izzah,… pic.twitter.com/8falmXQ39c
— Anak Malaysia ✨🇲🇾 (@RMalanjum_) July 7, 2024
