20.01.2002

Kenapa Keadilan - BA Kecundang di Indera Kayangan

(Why Keadilan-BA Lost Badly In Indera Kayangan)

Oleh: Dr Syed Husin bin Ali

Calon MCA-BN menang mengalahkan calon Keadilan-BA dengan menyerlah dalam pilihanraya kecil Indera Kayangan. Apabila dibandingkan keputusan pemilu 1999, BN menerima undi yang bertambah sekitar 700 menjadikannya sekitar 2,600 undi. Ini memberikan satu petanda yang menyerlah, disebabkan undi pos yang dikuasai oleh anggota polis yang memberikan sekitar 700 undi berbanding 22 undi untuk BA. Dari awal lagi BA sedar sukarnya untuk menang, namun mereka mengharapkan keupayaan untuk mengurangkan undi majoriti itu.

Sebelum bermula hari penamaan calon lagi, sudah jelas betapa BA sukar menandingi BN dalam kekuatan propaganda, kewangan dan susun-aturnya. Malahan Keadilan-BA memang menghadapi satu bala tentera jentera kerajaan (yang pastinya menggunakan wang rakyat marhaen - penterjemah)

Serangan propaganda menggunakan kerlipan elektronik dan media cetak akan peristiwa Afghanistan, Taliban, keganasan dan kemelut negara Islam telah diperhebatkan sepanjang kempen pilihanraya itu. Walaupun ramai pengundi merasakan Afghanistan dan Taliban adalah jauh letaknya, namun ramai peniaga Cina dan segelintir penduduk kelas menengah di Indera Kayangan menjadi begitu takut-takut melihatkan propaganda hitam yang disiarkan bertubi-kali oleh BN. Mereka takut akan munculnya konflik yang mencetuskan huru-hara, dan kemungkinan segala kontrak dan lesen yang dimansuhkan, seandainya BA menang.

Pada waktu yang sama memang sudah wujud kesangsian dan keraguan terhadap PAS dan Islam, terutama di kalangan bukan-Islam, gara-gara minda yang dirasuk sogokan propaganda yang penuh tipu muslihat dan pembohongan. Cetusan cemuhan oleh pihak tertentu di luar kerajaan turut menghenyak BA. Publisiti murahan yang disebarkan mengenai penangkapan kumpulan (yang diberi nama oleh kerajaan Mahathir) KMM telah membantu menggerakkan unsur psikologi ketakutan. Keadilan telah diconteng oleh MCA sebagai parti yang didalangi oleh PAS.

BN telah menggiurkan budaya taktik ini dengan beberapa lakonan keganasan yang menggunakan kumpulan samseng yang memecahkan cermin kereta kepunyaan tukang kempen BA, dan memukul serta mencederakan beberapa penyokong BA. Malahan, seorang pegawai polis turut digasak sehingga tanggal gigi depannya kerana menahan tiga buah bas daripada Taman Medan, yang dipimpin oleh exco Kerajaan Negeri Selangor, Norkhaila, yang dipercayai membawa pengundi hantu. Bas ini dan penumpangnya dibebaskan sekitar 4.30 petang dengan pembabitan TPM Abdullah Badawi yang melawat balai polis yang menahan mereka.

BN memang berseronok di IK di mana para menteri dan pemimpin parti memberi semangat kepada calon BN dan kemunculan pengamat politik yang dikatakan bebas menunjukkan muka setiap hari di kaca TV. Pada waktu yang sama Keadilan-BA tidakpun diberikan, waima satu saat ruang udara untuk menjelaskan dasar dan kedudukan mereka melalui media perdana. Media perdana memang dikuasai sepenuhnya oleh parti kerajaan yang memerintah yang berkempen secara berterusan dengan maklumat songsang yang menyelewengkan segala kebaikan BA. Berbeza dengan apa yang terjadi di Lunas, ketika media bahasa Cina mengambil pendirian berkecuali, pada kali ini semuanya sudah dikawal oleh MCA-BN untuk menyokong calon mereka.

Namun, di sebalik segala propaganda menakutkan yang berkemungkinan tercetusnya huru-hara sokongan pengundi Cina untuk BA bertambah daripada hanya sepuluh peratus pada pemilu 1999, kepada lebih 30 peratus kali ini. Ini adalah satu lambang betapa pengundi warga tua yang sudah pekat dengan memihak kepada MCA-BA, lebih ramai warga muda Cina yang menyokong BA. Mereka tidak lagi takut oleh peristiwa 911 di mana pengganas (dikatakan) menyerang New York.

Yang jelas, undi Melayu menurun daripada 65 peratus menurun hingga 45 peratus. Inilah bukti betapa BN telah menggunakan kewangan yang tidak ada tepiannya dan gerakan jentera pilihanraya yang dikatakan cekap.

Sebelum hari penamaan calon lagi, MB Perlis telah melancarkan majlis 'kenduri' yang dipergiatkan lagi sepanjang kempen pilihanraya itu. Ada laporan yang boleh dipercayai betapa dia mengagihkan RM100 kepada setiap bakal haji, dan jumlah hadiahnya berjumlah RM83,000. Malahan segelinir pemimpin PAS telah membuat laporan betapa ramai petugas berpengaruh mereka sengaja menghilangkan diri setelah disogok antara RM500-1000 seorang. Sememangnya, rakyat Kangar memang arif dengan kisah pemimpin Keadilan tempatan yang telah keluar untuk melompat menganggotai UMNO kerana ada habuannya. Mengikut skim 'anak angkat' ramai keluarga yang diberikan bekalan makanan harian dan wang keperluan. Rasuah begitu menyerlah kerana BN mempunyai cara dan daya untuk melaksanakannya.

Jentera kempen pilihanraya UMNO di Indera Kayangan memang kuat, kerana sumber kewangan BN yang tidak terhad. Sebelum wakil rakyat DUN yang lalu mati, UMNO-BN telah melancar satu strategi menegakkan pos tertentu dan melancarkan kempen sistem anak angkat dengan menggunakan orang tempatan sebagai petugas skim ini. Keluarga tertentu terutama di kampung Melayu dan kawasan perumahan bandar yang pernah dimenangi oleh Keadilan pada pemilu dulu telah menjadi sasaran UMNO. Selepas hari penamaan calon semakin ramai 'anak angkat' dari luar yang tiba dan ramai mereka adalah anggota Puteri UMNO. Sebilangan besar anggota ini adalah para pelajar, satu kumpulan yang sepatutnya ditegah oleh kerajaan daripada berkempen.

Kumpulan 'Anak angkat' ini menjadi satu sistem saluran BN yang menyalurkan bekalan setiap hari kepada keluarga angkat mereka, sambil mereka ditugaskan mengawal keluarga angkat itu daripada didekati oleh kumpulan BA yang berkempen di tempat mereka. Kampung dan kawasan perumahan bandar ini diawasi dengan cekap dan beberapa kumpulan Keadilan-BA yang mencuba memasukinya telah dihalau dan ada yang diganasi oleh kumpulan samseng BN. Hanya sepanjang dua hari terakhir tempoh kempen barulah pemimpin BA berjaaya menembusi kawasan terkawal itu. Kesan pengaruh mereka ternyata terhad, majoriti keluarga angkat itu sudah begitu terpengaruh dan tertipu sehingga ada yang sanggup bersumpah dengan menggunakan ayat Al-Quran untuk mengundi calon MCA-BN. Pada hari mengundi pengundi keluarga angkat ini ditemani dan dikawal rapat untuk mendekati pusat yang dikendalikan oleh BN.

Selain kekuatan jentera pilihanraya mereka, UMNO-BN telah menggunakan segala institusi kerajaan dan pegawainya untuk membantu mereka. Selama beberapa hari kenderaan milik Jabatan Penerangan digunakan di Taman Kemajuan, yang merupakan kawasan perumahan yang dipekati orang Melayu; mereka mengangkut pegawai jabatan itu berkempen untuk BN. Malahan segelintir pegawai tinggi Majlis Perbandaran Kangar tidak merasa segan-silu berkempen untuk mereka. Inilah kumpulan yang mengarahkan pekerja majlis bandaran menurunkan bendera BA, poster dan kain rentang di beberapa tempat tertentu, dengan alasan semua itu adalah bertentangan dengan undang-undang. Tetapi tindakan yang sama tidak pula dilakukan kepada kain rentang dan bahan kempen BN. Hanya setelah aduan dibuat kepada Majlis Bandaran, barulah mereka pulangkan segala barang rampasan kepunyaan BA.

Memang tidak dapat dinafikan betapa kuatnya proses rasuah BN, ugutannya dan pengawalan ketatnya yang telah membantu mendapatkan lebih ramai orang Melayu mengundi kepada calon MCA-BN. Kerana itu, para pemimpin BN tidak perlu berlagak sombong dengan kemenangan yang dimenangi secara menipu ini. Namun, kita harus mengakui hakikatnya betapa Keadilan-BA mempunyai kepincangan dalaman tersendiri. Inilah kelemahan yang memerlukan pembetulan secepat terdaya. Harus diakui, BA tidak akan berupaya menandingi keupayaan kewangan BN di mana juga, bila-bila masa. Tetapi ia mampu dan berupaya bekerja keras untuk memperbaikki jentera parti terutama sekali di peringkat akar umbi.

Sebagai sebuah parti, Keadilan di Kangar dan Perlis memang terlalu lemah. Keadaan disenakkan oleh pengunduran beberapa pemimpin dan ahlinya. Walaupun hanya sedozen dua yang keluar, dan bukannya dalam ratusan anggota seperti yang dicanang oleh media propaganda BN, pengunduran itu sudah mampu melukakan perjalanan parti. Haji Anuar Tahir, bekas Setiausaha Agung Keadilan, telah menyertai kempen untuk menafikan dakwaan yang dia bercadang menganggotai UMNO. Ruslan Kassim sudah memegang semula jawatan lamanya sebagai Ketua Penerangan. Mereka membuktikan bahawa Keadilan adalah satu pertubuhan yang masih berwibawa.

Kebanyakan bilik operasi Keadilan-BA telah ditangani oleh orang luar, kerana orang tempatan ternyata terlalu sedikit yang sanggup berkempen. Kerja berkempen dengan mengunjungi rumah ke rumah tidak dapat dilaksanakan secara berkesan kerana kewujudan kawalan ketat UMNO-BN terhadap kampung Melayu dan kawasan perumahan pekan. Kempen Keadilan-BA banyak tertumpu kepada ceramah. Seperti biasa, semua ceramah itu memang dihadiri ramai manusia kerana maklumat yang berharga, tetapi kebanyakan pendatang yang mendengar bukannya kumpulan yang membuang undi. Sebahagian besar pengundi sudah 'dirantai' oleh anak-angkat daripada menghadiri himpunan ceramah.

Kini BN sudah menguasai keseluruhan media perdana, berbeza dulukala. Sebaliknya, ceramah BA semakin berkurangan kerana permit polis yang sukar diperolehi. Malahan di Indera Kayangaan, polis telah menafikan dua permit untuk ceramah BA beberapa hari sebelum hari mengundi, dan menggerakkan pasukan gerak gempur untuk memagari kawasan di mana ceramah itu dijadualkan. BA tidak pula mempunyai daya yang bertenaga untuk menggunakan cara lain untuk menyebarkan kedudukan dan dasarnya sebagai alat untuk memerangi propaganda BN.

Mengambil kira monopoli media yang dicengkam BN dan sekatan ceramah yang didalangi polis, BA mesti memikir dan melaksanakan kaedah alternatif yang lebih berkesan cara menyebarkan maklumat untuk memenangi hati dan minda para pengundi. Mungkin juga diperlukan satu jentera pilihanraya yang lebih mantap dan berkesan yang direncana di setiap tahap organisasi bermula daripada hari ini.

Dr Syed Husin bin Ali

Terjemahan: SPAR - 21.01.02

Asal:

WHY KEADILAN-BA LOST BADLY IN INDERA KAYANGAN

By Dr Syed Husin Ali

The MCA-BN candidate defeated her keADILan-BA counterpart convincingly in the Indera Kayangan bye-election. In the process, compared to the results in the 1999 general elections, the BN increased its majority by about 700 votes to nearly 2,600. The indication was ominous when the postal votes, made up mainly of well-controlled police votes, were counted and gave BN 700 votes against 22 for BA. Right from the start, the BA knew that it was very difficult to win, but they were hoping at least to reduce the majority.

All the way, even before nomination day, it was clear that the BA was no match to the BN in terms of propaganda, finance and organisation. Indeed keADILan-BA was facing the whole force of government.

The propaganda blitz through the electronic and printed media on Afghanistan, Taliban, terrorism and Islamic State was stepped up during the election campaign period. Although many voters feel that Afghanistan and Taliban are quite far away, yet many Chinese businessmen and some middle class elements in Indera Kayangan were especially scared of the black propaganda repeatedly churned out by the BN. They feared that conflicts and instability would follow, while contracts and licenses would be cancelled, if the BA won.

Of course there is also prevalent suspicion and fear of PAS and Islam, especially among the non-Muslims, who have been constantly fed only with government propaganda of lies. Periodic sniping by certain elements outside government too did not help BA. The wide publicity given to the somewhat timely KMM arrests also helped to exacerbate the general psychology of fear. KeADILan was painted by MCA especially as being controlled by PAS.

The BN had emphasised these scare tactics with some acts of violence by gangster elements, which smashed windscreens of cars belonging to BA campaigners, and beat up and injured a number of BA supporters. They did not even spare a police officer who lost his front teeth as a result of being attacked by a BN group for trying to stop three buses from Taman Medan, led by Selangor State Exco, Norkhaila, which were believed to be bringing phantom voters. These buses and their passengers were released at about 4.30 p.m., after DPM Abdullah Badawi visited the police station where they were being held.

The BN had a field day, with ministers and party leaders, the BN candidate and so-called independent political analysts appearing every day over television. On the other hand, the keADILan-BA was not given even a second to explain their policies and positions through that medium. The mainstream press controlled or owned by the government parties continuously carried out campaigns of disinformation and distortion on whatever the BA did or said. Unlike during Lunas election, when the Chinese media were more neutral, this time they are well under MCA-BN control to support their candidate.

But, what is quite significant is that despite these propaganda and scare tactics against the BA, the Chinese vote for BA increased from over ten percent in the 1999 general elections to over 30 percent in this bye-election. In comparison to the elderly men and women (who perhaps empathised with the BN candidate), more young Chinese voted for BA. They were not scared away by events following the 911 terrorist attacks in New York.

It is the Malay vote that has decreased, from 65 to about 40 percent. This has been largely due to BN unlimited financial resources and well-oiled machinery.

Even before nomination day, the Perlis MB was throwing nightly ?kenduri? (feasts). More of them were held during the campaign period. It is reliably reported that he also distributed RM100 to each of those going to perform the haj, totaling RM83,000. Even some PAS leaders reported their worry that some of their important workers were avoiding them, because they had been given up to RM500-1000 each. Of course, people in Kangar know that the local keADILan leaders and members who deserted the party for UMNO had their own price. Under the ?anak angkat? (adopted children) system, many families were supplied daily with food and money. Bribery was rampant. BN had the means to indulge in it.

The election machinery of UMNO in Indera Kayangan was very strong, thanks to the unlimited BN financial resources. Before the previous assemblyman passed away, UMNO-BN had already established posts and ?employed? local members and supporters to be ?anak angkat? of families, especially in the Malay kampung or urban residential areas where keADILan won or performed well during the last general elections. After nomination more ?adopted children? came from outside, some of them Puteri UMNO, a number of whom were recognised as students, a group supposed to be banned by government from campaigning.

These ?adopted children? not only became conduits for BN daily supplies to their adopted families, but also guarded the latter from being reached by BA campaigners. These kampung or urban residential areas were well guarded, and a number of the keADILan-BA groups that tried to go in were chased out or even beaten up by apparently BN gangsters. Only during the last two days were the BA leaders able to make a break through. But the effect was limited. In almost all cases, the adopted families had already been persuaded or even deceived into taking Quranic oath to vote for the MCA-BN candidate. On Election Day these voters were closely accompanied to the voting centres by BN operatives.

Besides their own party machinery, the UMNO-BN also made use of government institutions and officers to help them. For a few days a number of vehicles from the Information Department were stationed outside Taman Kemajuan, a majority Malay area; they brought officers from the department to campaign for BN. Even some senior officials of the Kangar Town Council did not hide where their sympathy lay. They ordered workers from the Council to pull down BA flags, posters and banners from certain areas, purportedly because they broke the law. But no such action was taken against the BN. Only after complaints were made that the Town Council returned all that they had confiscated from BA.

There is no doubt that BN bribery, threats and tight control helped them to win more Malay votes this time round. Actually, in view of this, the BN leaders should have nothing much to crow about their victory. But admittedly, keADILan-BA has its own internal weaknesses too, which need to be addressed as soon as possible. Of course, BA can never compete with BN financially anywhere at any time. But it can and should work hard to improve the party machinery, especially at the grass-root levels.

Organisationally, keADILan is weak in Kangar and Perlis. It had been further weakened by the desertion of some of its members and leaders. Although there were only about a dozen who left, and not in the hundreds as made out by the orchestrated BN media propaganda, it was enough to inflict some damage. Haji Anuar Tahir, former Secretary General of keADILan, joined the campaigns to refute claims that he was joining UMNO. Ruslan Kassim had already returned to his old post as Publicity head. They proved that keADILan was still essentially intact.

Outsiders manned most of the keADILan-BA operation rooms, and there was evident lack of local campaigners. House to house campaign work could not be done effectively, what with the tight control by UMNO-BN of many of the Malay kampung or urban residential areas. The keADILan-BA had to depend largely on ?ceramah? (public rallies). As usual, they were very well attended and had good publicity or information value, but most of those who attended were non-voters. Many voters were effectively prevented by their ?anak angkat? from attending them.

Now the BN is more in control of the media than ever. On the other hand, BA ?ceramah? are getting much less due to denial of permits by the police. Even during the Indera Kayangan election, police denied permits for two BA ?ceramah? a couple of days before voting day, and went on to send police riot squads to cordon the areas where they were scheduled to be held. The BA had not been sufficiently strong in using alternative ways of publicising its positions and policies as well as to counter BA propaganda.

Given the BN media monopoly and the police ?ceramah? restrictions, BA must discuss and implement more effective alternative methods of disseminating information to win over the hearts and minds of the voters. But together with this, and perhaps more important still, strong and effective organisational machinery has to be built and improved at all levels right from now.

20th January 2002