Juwairiya (standing, second from right) is joined by Fadhlina (next to her) and Nik Nazmi (left) on her walkabout at Aeon AU2 in Taman Keramat. — FARID WAHAB/The Star
ON THE night of the 15th General Election (GE15), Norshah Kassim, 65, went to bed earlier than planned as she was so disappointed by Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s loss.
Usually, she would stay up on polling night to watch the results on television with her family.
“After I heard that Azmin had lost, I could not bear to watch,” said Norshah, a Hulu Kelang voter.
In GE15 last November, Azmin failed to defend the Gombak parliamentary seat, losing to Pakatan Harapan’s Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who trounced him with a more than 12,000-vote majority.
The battle, widely perceived as one between mentor and former protege, followed Azmin’s departure from Pakatan’s PKR to join Bersatu, which became part of Perikatan Nasional in 2020.
Azmin (left) with Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal at a cycling event in Taman Melawati. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
For Norshah, a Taman Keramat resident, Azmin’s decision to contest Hulu Kelang in the upcoming Selangor polls is a much-anticipated comeback.
Hulu Kelang is one of three state seats under Gombak, the other two being Gombak Setia and Sungai Tua.
“Pakatan has held on to Selangor for many terms and Azmin had a major role in making that happen,” she said.
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She is not the only voter in the area with the same view.
Azmin, who is also state Perikatan chairman, is a household name in the constituency.
The Bazaar Melawati complex is being refurbished by Ampang Jaya Municipal Council. Some voters believe local infrastructure issues will influence polls. — KAMARUL ARiFFIN /The Star
A 30-year-old who wished to be known only as Suraya said she often heard her family talk about Azmin during elections when she was growing up.
“He has made a lasting impression. Any candidate going up against him here is in for an uphill battle,” she added.
Azmin, in his nightly ceramah, drew attention to his achievements as Selangor mentri besar from 2014 to 2018.
He said in a recent Facebook post, “It is heartening to see that the people still remember the initiatives carried out when I was mentri besar.”
Azmin’s opponent, Pakatan’s Juwairiya Zulkifli, 38, has been busy dispelling claims that she was a “parachute” candidate and an outsider.
She was Amirudin’s political secretary and served as Bukit Melawati assemblyman in Kuala Selangor from 2018 until recently.
“I am a local girl. I grew up in Taman Permata and went to school here.
“I was chosen to contest the Bukit Melawati seat as it is my mother’s hometown,” she told reporters.
Her challenge is raising her profile among Hulu Kelang voters before polling day on Aug 12.
Kampung Pasir resident Puspawati Mohd Sani, 59, said many did not know who Juwairiya was.
“I only know about her from a a flyer I received from campaigners,” she said, adding that many youths relied on social media instead for updates.
Juwairiya’s team has since stepped up efforts, getting PKR bigwigs to tag along at political events to boost her campaign, which appears to be gaining ground.
On Aug 1, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek accompanied Juwairiya on a walkabout to meet voters at Aeon AU2 mall in Taman Keramat.
Ha’eziah: I want S’gor to maintain the political status quo.
Before that, Juwairiya was joined by Nurul Izzah Anwar at Melawati Mall in Taman Melawati.
Despite Juwairiya’s low profile, some voters believe that 58-year-old Azmin will not have an easy path to victory.
Ha’eziah Yusop, 57, who runs a tailoring shop at Bazaar Melawati, wants Selangor to maintain the political status quo.
“In the past three years, our country’s administration switched hands multiple times, resulting in policies being changed repeatedly.
“The present state government has made plans for the future, and these will be disrupted if the administration changes hands again,” she said.
Another local, who wanted to be known only as Syahmi, 31, did not think local issues such as drains and road maintenance would have much influence at the polls.
Ling: Maintenance of public facilities should be top priority.
“This election is about sending a message on whether or not the public approves of the unity government,” he added.
Hawker Carrie Ling, 41, however, believes local issues do matter. She said she would look at the candidates’ manifestos before deciding which way to vote.
“Infrastructure issues such as maintenance of roads, public fields and drains should be the topmost priority,” she added.
The Hulu Kelang seat was previously held by Saari Sungib of Pakatan’s Parti Amanah Negara.
It was his third consecutive win, with a 15,349-vote majority in a three-cornered fight against Barisan Nasional and PAS in 2018.
Hulu Kelang is a Malay-majority area. Based on 2018 data, they make up 86.5% of the demographic, with Chinese 8.2%, Indians 3.7% and others 1.5%.
Hulu Kelang is also where Azmin made his foray into electoral politics in 1999, becoming the first PKR assemblyman in Selangor.
Puspawati: Many do not know who Juwairiya is.
In subsequent elections, however, the seat was given to PAS, which was part of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition then, and eventually Amanah.
Amanah’s Anfaal Saari was widely tipped to contest the seat but was replaced at the eleventh hour by PKR’s Juwairiya.
A party insider, who declined to be named, said the decision was as sentimental as it was strategic.
“It seems like Prime Minister and Pakatan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants to end Azmin’s political career for good.
“And if Azmin must lose, then let it be at the hands of PKR in the seat where it all started.”
