Local or not? The election debate in Kuang

As election campaigns gather pace ahead of polling day this weekend, flags have been cropping up in every available space, with banners and posters of contesting candidates lining the streets and roads.

In a town in Gombak, Selangor, though, one particular banner stands out amid the cacophony of campaign material. 

"Candidates for Kuang must have the spirit of Kuang," it reads.

Kuang, a small town on the outskirts of Sungai Buloh with a sleepy village atmosphere, is home to tourist draws such as Tasik Biru Kundang. Cycling enthusiasts are also a common sight on the weekends.

Parts of the town are made up of predominantly Malay villages, and it is also home to Masjid Nurul Yaqin – the mosque where a recent appearance by Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil led to an investigation by the police and state religious authorities. 

The incumbent assemblyman, Sallehudin Amirudin, won the 14th general election (GE14) in 2018 on a Bersatu ticket. He later left the party and joined Pejuang, and is now running as an independent candidate.

But while he won the seat with a majority of 2,860 votes, defeating three other candidates at GE14, Sallehudin is not a local. 

According to residents, this could be why the lone banner appeared in Kuang. 

Zulkifli Junaidi, 39, said sentiments in the area were strongly geared towards Barisan Nasional (BN), which only experienced its first defeat in the seat at GE14. 

"When BN held Kuang, many changes were made to improve Tasik Biru.

"The previous BN assemblyman also regularly met with the people," he said, referring to the representative before Sallehudin.

At the upcoming state election, Kuang will witness a three-cornered fight between Sallehudin, Hasnal Rezua Merican of BN, and Mohd Rafiq Mohd Abdullah from Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Of the three candidates, Zulkifli said he believed that Hasnal, who is a local, has the upper hand, adding that he is the only one who has met with him and his friends so far.

"He lives nearby. The others are far away; we don't really know," he said, adding however that not everyone believed their representative should be a local. 

Another resident, Hairum Sanardi, 36, said the people did not face many issues in Kuang.

"There aren't many problems in our village, unlike in urban areas," he said, adding however that he did not hold much hope for drastic change in Kuang, regardless of who wins the election. 

PN candidate Rafiq said he had no issues with the sentiments on the ground, adding however that the definition of a local candidate should be clear.

"I'm from Taman Ehsan, which used to be in Kuang before the boundaries were redrawn. Now, Taman Ehsan falls under Bukit Lanjan.

"So I don't know who the message in the banner is meant for," he said, adding that he would focus on strata problems, settlements on Keretapi Tanah Melayu land, and flooding if given the opportunity to represent Kuang.