The Malaysian Insight

THE Titiwangsa parliamentary seat is expected to see fierce competition at the next general election as candidates fight for the Malay votes.

The Malay-majority seat in the heart of the capital, Kuala Lumpur encompasses the Malay villages of Kampung Baru, Kampung Pandan and Datuk Keramat previously won by Umno, PAS and Bersatu since the seat was established in 1986.

Respective party leaders are confident they can win the seat in the next general election.

Titiwangsa Umno Youth vice chief Muhamad Razali Tushan believes Umno has no problem wresting back the seat from Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the next polls.

This is especially so with the party’s former representative Johari Abdul Ghani, who was also the former finance minister II, who has not given up on the constituency despite losing in the 2018 general election, he said.

“He is the head of the Titiwangsa division, he is also the Federal Territories Umno liaison chairman, there is nothing wrong if he wants to contest the seat again.

“It is true that he worked even though he was no longer the MP but he is still connected with the voters and he worked even after losing,” Razali said.

Razali said Johari or his representative often visits the constituency to meet voters, especially in programmes involving welfare assistance.

Johari seized the seat in the 2013 general election to end PAS’ dominance but lost in five years later to Bersatu Srikandi chief Rina Mohd Harun.

“The Titiwangsa area is made up mostly of Malays. If there are no sensitive issues in Titiwangsa, God willing we can win,” Razali told The Malaysian Insight.

The number of Malay voters in the Titiwangsa parliamentary constituency is the largest at around 70.5%, followed by Chinese (17.3%), and Indian (9.42%).

More than 55,300 voters were eligible to vote in the area in the 2018 general election, and the number is estimated to increase by more than 20,000, including voters aged 18 and above and first-timers.

Razali said Umno has an advantage this time because the party has a strong grassroots and branch organisation as opposed to Bersatu.

The Titiwangsa Umno division has about 87 branches against Bersatu’s 22.

Furthermore, the party grassroots still have a close relationship with the grassroots of PAS after they established Muafakat Nasional (MN) in September 2019.

“We have been with PAS since MN. We are still together, only (leaders) above us do not know that those below are still working together.

“At the Umno Youth meeting we invited PAS Youth and they attended,” said Razali.

The good relations between the two parties was also brought into the residents representative council in the Titiwangsa parliamentary constituency, which was also attended by PAS representatives.

“Whatever programmes involving Umno, they (PAS) will help and will attend. The grassroots members of both parties (PAS and Umno) have no problems,” he said.

It gives confidence to Barisan Nasional (BN) to capture the hearts of a few voters who had previously chosen PAS, he added.

“Before this there really wasn’t any kind of cooperation, now there is some 30% involvement from PAS.

“From that number, maybe between 5% and 10% will vote for BN. Who knows, because they have already started (cooperation) with us.

“There used to be boundaries but now when there is cooperation and they can think rationally. We have to remember, not everyone is obsessed with leaders, maybe they are just members,” he said.

However, BN still faces a stiff competition if PN puts a PAS candidate instead of a Bersatu one in Titiwangsa.

“If PN puts a PAS candidate there is a 50-50 chance for PAS supporters to choose them.

“But if Bersatu puts its candidate then for sure 70% to 80% (of PAS voters) will vote for BN because we are together at the grassroots level.

“At the grassroots level, Bersatu and PAS are not seen as being together,” Razali said, adding that it would be an advantage for BN.

Bersatu ready to face Johari Abdul Ghani

Meanwhile, Bersatu leaders in Titiwangsa are confident they will be able to defend the constituency based on the initial agreement between the core component parties of the PN coalition.

Titiwangsa Bersatu division chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said seat distribution was determined based on the status quo and that Rina had been the incumbent since the 2018 general election.

As a result, Wan Fayhsal, who is also Bersatu Youth chief, said Bersatu will contest the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat once again.

“In terms of seat negotiations, our basic principle is the incumbent seat belongs to the party – in this case Titiwangsa belonging to Bersatu in PN.

“The final decision rests in the hands of the president, but at this moment it (the seat) basically belongs to Bersatu.

“We have a member of parliament who does not stop working, I am the head of the division with Rina, I organise the division and she organises parliament, and we work together in election preparations,” he said.

Wan Fayhsal said that it will be a tough battle with Johari, who he admitted has worked hard in the constituency even after losing in 2018.

However, Bersatu is ready to face Johari again if he is nominated by Umno and BN to represent them, he said.

“Johari has been working from the beginning, (since) losing he has never stopped. Johari is a consistent person.

“We are ready to face him if he is nominated by Umno and BN,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Wan Fayhsal admitted that Bersatu was a bit behind in terms of membership with around 5,000 members but hoped that urban Malay voters would be more sensitive and knowledgeable about current issues and reject BN.

“Even though our numbers are smaller than Umno, we have to remember that there are many fence-sitters here. Their votes just can go to anyone.

“We hope that urban voters who are more literate will choose us over Umno, BN,” he said.

Rina, when met by The Malaysian Insight, said she is leaving it to the PN leadership on whether she will defend the seat or move elsewhere.

However, she said she will continue to serve Titiwangsa folk.

“The decision to contest will be made by the leadership but there has yet to be an outcome.

“I will follow the instructions of the party leadership, but for now I am still organising programmes and actively moving in Titiwangsa,” she added. – October 12, 2022.