Manek Urai: Umno win will break PR
(WFOL.com) – The Manek Urai elections are now on with a straight fight between the Party Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and the United Malays National Organization (Umno).
While tradition bequest that the two parties are at daggers drawn in the Malay heartland, it is the shadow of the hullabaloo over recent 'Unity' talks that overshadows the by-election.
“It would have been nice to see a fight between the PAS, Umno and the Party Keadilaan Rakyat (PKR). Now in this straight fight, the PAS is given as winner but nothing is lost for the Umno yet,” said an observer to Wfol.tv.
Within the PKR, there is the feeling that if the PAS is to win the Manek Urai polls, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will be given a new breather as popular support is vital for the under pressure opposition 'coalition'. The local pro-government press has had a field time trumpeting the soon to be 'demise' of the Pakatan and to their estimates, an Umno win in the state seat will only mean the beginning of the disintegration of the Pakatan.
“It is not certain the PAS will win upper handed and it is also not certain Anwar Ibrahim will impact on all the voters. He is now seen as a Malay politician who is not concerned by Malay rights, a fight that he personally deem unworthy being a 'National' leader,” said the observer.
“If the PAS lose, the party will be wrecked by internal fighting and this will also mean the leadership of Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat will be under intense pressure from the pro-Umno wing of the party.” he said.