KOTA BARU: Two major political parties have wasted no time in preparing for the Kelantan state election after it was announced that the state assembly will be dissolved on June 22.
For 32 years, Pas, the ruling party in Kelantan, has been defined by its focus on Islam. But the upcoming battle may present a new challenge for the party.
Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN), in partnership with Pakatan Harapan (PH), will need to work hard to win over voters, particularly the younger demographic, to avoid a repeat of Umno's disastrous 15th General Election (GE15) results in Kelatnan.
Even with Pas' iron grip on Kelantan, many locals believe Umno and BN can put up a strong fight in the state election.
State BN chairman Datuk Jazlan Yaakub said the party would contest 31 out of the state's 45 state seats.
The seat distribution was decided on during negotiations between BN and PH in Kelantan.
On the "hot seats", Jazlan, who is also Felcra chairman, declined to share details.
To face Pas, Kelantan BN can rely on the support of new ally DAP.
Although DAP has never won a seat in Kelantan or Terengganu, the party is active in both states and is preparing its machinery.
Kelantan DAP chairman Azaha Abdul Rani said he is cautiously optimistic about the state election.
He suggested that PH use BN's logo in Kelantan to make a dent in Pas' strongholds.
He believed that only through the consolidation of votes can the state opposition pose a credible challenge to Pas.
DAP has historically fielded only one candidate in Kelantan, Nasir Dollah, who contested the Galas state seat in 2018, but received only enough votes to keep his deposit.
In previous elections, Pas predominantly fielded preachers (ustaz) as candidates.
This time, the party has decided to strike a balance and field some professionals.
Pas will contest 39 seats, including two seats taken from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
As parties strategise, the main concerns of Kelantan folk are on welfare and finding a solution to the longstanding water supply problem.
