The 2018 general elections will largely be determined by the intensity of the opposition coalition’s campaign, the public’s reaction to the ruling coalition’s electoral pledges and, of course, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
At the same time, the quality of individual candidates and the races they run will be central to the opposition coalition’s chances of retaining Selangor. With this in mind, here are nine candidates to watch in gauging which way and how hard the electoral winds are blowing in Selangor.
People used to wonder whether Maria Chin Abdullah was tough enough to be a politician. But in the week that veteran politicians like Tian Chua was denied the right to contest, Maria Chin Abdullah’s reputation has risen to new heights. As the opposition coalition struggles to overcome the odds against a deeply flawed Electoral Commission, Maria Chin Abdullah’s presence in the political scene suddenly looks very attractive.
The seasoned activist has shown a steely determination to defend the rights of all Malaysians. She was detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) on the eve of the Bersih rally in 2016 in Kuala Lumpur which drew more than 15,000 protesters demanding that Prime Minister Najib Razak step down amid graft allegations. The ruling coalition was furious about this. They were confident that Maria was going to back down. Perhaps they should have studied more carefully Maria’s long career in activism, beginning in the Baling student protests way back in 1974 when she first showed her willingness to defy powerful interests.
Of her recent decision to contest in Petaling Jaya, an urban parliamentary seat, she says that politics is a natural extension of her career as an activist. “There’s not much difference between activism and politics because it is all about what you believe and what you want to push through. The only difference is that if you’re elected you get to be more responsible to your constituents and push the policies and laws at the parliamentary level. In this country, there is not much to hold on to in terms of democracy and to me it is important to hold on to whatever is left of it because we need to grow, improve and understand that we have to change and not treat corruption as something that is natural.”
Her decision to campaign as an independent under the PKR banner caught many by surprise. “PKR is very much a party that is needed in Malaysia. It has the vision to be inclusive of all races and to try and cut down on race based politics which is a fixture in our country.” This refusal to allow herself to be pigeon-holed is characteristic.
Throughout her career Maria has pressed forward with two main objectives: free and fair elections and empowering women. The latter objective is particularly close to her heart and especially since 52% of the electorate in Petaling Jaya are women. “Currently, there is inadequate training for women who are interested to participate in politics. It is not just important to learn about the political structure and how political parties work. It is equally important to equip women with the resources and confidence needed to be a political leader. There should be a level playing field for all candidates.”
With Maria at the helm of the mother of all elections, what would her message be to voters in her constituency? “Don’t vote for me personally. Vote for the country to be better. But more importantly vote for change. There has never been a more opportune time. The time is now.”
