RELIGION EXPECTED TO BE MAIN ISSUE IN KUALA BESUT BY-ELECTION

PAS is expected to go alone in the Kuala Besut state seat by-election in Terengganu given the sensitivities involved among the voters if DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) are involved.

Besut voters who are considered religious and parochial are not expected to welcome DAP leaders and campaigners as several sensitive issues raised before the 13th general election that sparked verbal have some way or another ‘slighted’ them.

For Kuala Besut voters, religion is the core issue that matters while development – economic and physical – is relative, in that the ruling party is expected to provide as responsibility.

Terengganu in general and Besut in particular has been the centre of Islamic development, besides Kelantan, where pondoks or religious schools are part of the structure and life of the people.

Despite the differences in Islamic opinions between the followers of PAS and Umno in the state to the extent that each they have separate suraus and even prayed separately at one time in the 80s, they are together in defending the religion from outside interferences or from non-Muslims.

They are possessive when come to Islam and whatever differences in interpretations are their problems and no outsiders should interfere.

With such background, DAP is not and in this case, probably not welcome at all in the campaign and PAS, given that its president Abdul Hadi Awang considers Terengganu, particularly Besut his turf, will not want outside interferences in particular DAP.

In fact, Abdul Hadi, whose bastion is Rusila in Marang, some 100km away from Besut had in fact given out his edict that purportedly described Umno as an infidel in a kampong in Besut in 1982.

Thus religion is expected to be the main issue PAS will play up in its campaign besides the factionism in Umno, taking advantage of the ‘cold war’ between Mentri Besar Ahmad Said and Besut division chief who is now Education Minister 11 Idris Jusoh.

PAS is expected to exploit the ‘cold war’ issue to its maximum as the party tries to split Umno votes although observers say BN would still retain the seat.

Umno, which has always respected ulamaks from Besut and Kedah, is expected to downplay religious issues and it embark on the more ‘down-to-earth’ issue that involves bread and butter – the daily life issues.

Economic development is expected to take the centre stage in Umno’s campaign as one of the many issues that had Ahmad ‘in trouble’ with the locals and Besut Umno is cronyism which sidelined development in Besut.

With Idris leading the charge under Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Ahmad is expected to take a back seat so that voters will not be ‘slighted’ with his presence.

In short, the by-election is expected to be ‘close-door’ affair between Besut Umno and PAS with religion as the main issue.