In the recent Nenggiri by-election, the Orang Asli community made a decisive shift in their political allegiance, moving towards their traditional loyalty of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) and distancing themselves from Perikatan Nasional (PN). This significant change highlights the effectiveness of Umno's grassroots strategy and the community's desire for tangible development over perceived opulence.
Dr. Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin, a Fellow in Psychological Operations at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), explained that the Orang Asli's support for Umno stemmed from their belief that the party could better address their community’s needs. The presence of essential facilities like ATM machines, provided by the Federal government, and the promise of sustainable development were key factors in winning over the Orang Asli voters.
Umno’s success in Nenggiri is further attributed to a realistic psychological warfare strategy that resonated with the local youth and highlighted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's strong leadership in both international and community matters. This approach, coupled with a campaign strategy that emphasized engagement and inclusivity, proved to be more appealing than PN’s perceived display of wealth.
The Orang Asli community, known for their political loyalty, with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah as BN election director who was the local Member of Parliament (MP) for 12 terms, were reportedly offended by PN leaders who flaunted their wealth during the campaign. In contrast, BN’s campaign, which included light-hearted activities and direct engagement, struck a chord with the voters. The involvement of Datuk Dr. Ramli Mohd Nor, the first Orang Asli MP and the Deputy Speaker of Dewan Rakyat, further solidified BN’s appeal among the community.
Dr. Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub, a political analyst, noted that BN’s victory, particularly in securing over 1,800 votes from Orang Asli across all voting stations, signifies a strong return of support for the party. The presence of Dr. Ramli Mohd Nor in the campaign was especially effective in garnering votes from the Orang Asli community, who expressed overwhelming support for BN, with about 90.6% of them backing the party.
This victory marks a significant moment in Kelantan politics, as the Orang Asli community’s shift in support could influence future electoral outcomes. As BN’s newly elected assemblyman, Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, takes office, the expectations for raising Nenggiri’s voice in the Kelantan state assembly are higher than ever.
The results of the Nenggiri by-election underscore the importance of understanding and addressing the unique needs of the Orang Asli community, a lesson that could shape political strategies in the region for years to come.
By: Kpost
Information Source: sinardaily, nst
Kpost is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.
