After the untimely passing of its assembly woman, Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) has drawn eyes from all over the country: Malaysia was to see yet another by-election. During the 2023 Selangor State Elections, the town of Kuala Kubu Baharu - situated in the state’s north east - had elected Lee Kee Hiong, the DAP candidate for the seat. Woefully, Lee Kee Hiong soon passed away in the middle of her third term as KKB’s representative. Persuantly, the inevitable was announced: KKB was to hold a by-election. Thus, both the PH-BN alliance and PN scrambled for candidates amongst their party ranks and prepared to throw the full weight of their election machineries towards the humble town, shooting KKB up to the spotlight of daily news reports. Now, the results are out: DAP candidate Pang Sock Tao has won.
So, what does this mean?
Kuala Kubu Bharu was an interesting site for a by-election to be held; it is a suburban and multiracial seat with the average demographics of a Selangor state seat. The mix of approximately 47% Malays, 30% Chinese, and 17% Indian makes KKB an unpredictable seat that could flip towards either side of the political battle, meaning that campaigning would be essential to secure a victory. I believe that the KKB by-election is a perfect example of the unity government setting aside their differences to cooperate, an effort that has clearly been rewarded for by the electorate. Despite the multitude of issues faced by PH-BN, such as MCA’s refusal to aide in campaigns and accusations of voter buying, the PH-BN alliance had managed to pull through and fully utilise the strength of their election machinery to win the elections. You could even test this with an experiment right now: search for “Kuala Kubu Bharu by-elections” online, and you’ll immediately notice the disparity of publicity between PH-BN and PN.
As great as this is for the unity government, can we really take this as a sign of the coalitions stability and legitimacy? While it is true that PH-BN did manage to secure a victory in KKB during the Selangor elections, it’s also important to note that they have achieved a more significant victory during the by-elections, further cementing their support in the seat. In extension, this could be a sign that voters are beginning to soften and turn to PH-BN rather than other opposition coalitions, most notably PN. In particular, this election victory has sparked debated on whether or not the “Green Wave” has come to an end or not, with the phrase “Green Wave” referring to large electoral victories made by PAS (and in extension PN) in recent polls.
Asides from politics, the specific emphasis placed onto KKB could possibly put more pressure on the government to focus on its development and could lead to improvements for the local economy. During the elections, Pang Sock Tao had revealed a 5-point manifesto and has stated that she will be actively working towards achieving promised goals listed in the manifesto. Now, Pang would have to fulfill promises made during the comapign in order to maintain the support base in KKB. It seems very likely that KKB will be undergoing some positive changes and will indeed be experiencing improvements.
In summative, the by-elections in KKB have sent out the message that despite all the controversies, PH-BN is still a very much capable and dominant fighting force in politics, and that support for PN may be waning. However, it is important to note that KKB is only one seat amongst the many throughout Selangor, so any inferences made here should be taken with a grain of salt. Potential for KKB’s local economy seems to be promising with PH-BN’s victory, so we may see a more developed KKB in the near future. Although it can be hard to say for sure what the future has in stall, it is good to analyse and make predictions based on results and news. I wish the best of luck to Pang Sock Tao on the beginning of her journey as a political representative!
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