In Kuala Kubu Baharu, PH-BN's biggest fear coming true as Umno supporters back PN

Already struggling to win the Malay vote, Pakatan Harapan (PH) is becoming increasingly haunted by the concern that Umno members will rally behind Perikatan Nasional (PN) at the upcoming by-election in Kuala Kubu Baharu.

Checks by MalaysiaNow in the constituency have found staunch supporters of Umno becoming more vocal in expressing their dissatisfaction with the Malay party's leadership.

Several Umno strongmen and veterans meanwhile have confirmed that a large number of party members will be voting for PN, in a repeat of the trend at the 2022 general election and the state elections last year.

They say that the Umno grassroots still cannot come to terms with their party's alliance with PH – more so given that PH candidate Pang Sock Tao of DAP is associated with Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming, who himself does not sit well with Umno members.

Mohd Nor Abas, a former committee member of Hulu Selangor Umno, believes more than 70% of Umno members will cast their votes for PN.

"As for the remaining 20% to 30%, they could be hardcore supporters who like the leadership," he told MalaysiaNow.

Nor Abas said he had been observing the pattern of support for Umno in Kuala Kubu Baharu for the last three terms.

According to him, party colleagues and youths in the area are now openly expressing support for PN, including by wearing the coalition's logo.

This contrasts with the call by senior Umno leaders for them to consider Pang, who will be facing PN's Khairul Azhari Saut, as one of their own.

Nor Abas said most Umno members in the constituency still hold to the "No Anwar, No DAP" slogan – the theme of the Umno general assembly prior to the 15th general election.

Former village chief Norazizan Nordin meanwhile said the choice of a Malay candidate by PN had turned the Malays in its favour.

Last year, PN fielded Gerakan's Henry Teoh who lost by 4,119 votes to the late Lee Kee Hiong of DAP.

Norazizan said many Malays had sat out the election last year due to PN's decision to field a non-Malay candidate.

"The Malay majority has increased, and today we want to convince these 10,000 mostly Malays who didn't turn out to vote."

Kuala Kubu Baharu, which has 40,226 voters, is considered a mixed seat comprising 46% Malays, 30% Chinese, 18% Indians and 6% others.

PN's 'big mistake'

Nor Abas said the Umno grassroots had long rejected any form of cooperation with PH.

But he said they lacked an avenue to show their displeasure due to the absence of a Malay candidate.

At the last state election, he said PN had made "a big mistake" by fielding a non-Malay candidate.

A retiree who asked to be known as Pakcik Ajman said the choice of a Malay candidate this time heralded a significant shift of support to the coalition among Malay voters.

He said that in the last two general elections, many Malay voters had shifted support to PH in the wake of a campaign to reject Barisan Nasional.

Pakcik Ajman said today, these voters were likely to reject both coalitions.

His son-in-law, Abdur Rizal, said more Umno supporters had been openly expressing support for PN.

He gave the example of Pak Hassan, an Umno strongman in the area who is popular with the locals.

He said Pak Hassan had turned into a vocal critic of the Umno leadership, rejecting its call to campaign for the DAP candidate.

"Pak Hassan alone has influence over many veterans in the area," said Rizal.

Selangor PN chairman Mohamed Azmin Ali also acknowledged Pak Hassan's influence.

He said Pak Hassan recently gave the green light for PN to use his home as the venue for ceramahs at night.

"Living with Pak Hassan are more than 100 Umno members consisting of children, sons-in-laws and grandchildren who openly express their support for the PN candidate," the former Selangor menteri besar told MalaysiaNow.