The biggest revolt in the tiniest state
ARAU — The tiniest and northernmost state in the country has, for obvious reasons, little to talk about except if one is into teak trees and Harum Manis mangoes.
Otherwise, it is politics that would have usually landed the state — that is nearly twice as big as Langkawi — in the news.
And oftentimes political news in Perlis will centre either on the exploits or antics of Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim — the incumbent member of parliament of Arau.
True enough, Shahidan has jolted himself into controversy again these days with his brazen revolt against Umno after the party did not nominate him as candidate for the coming November 19 national poll.
But Shahidan, essentially, had this coming, as he has — since his ministerial debut in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s cabinet — been making a slew unsavoury remarks against Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
One can quibble on who actually started the feud but every politically savvy Malaysians can agree right now that Shahidan is on a warpath.
And in doing so he has embraced Umno’s political enemy — Perikatan Nasional (PN) — and is contesting for his incumbent seat under their banner.
It was feat that has been hotly talked about in many warungs in the small state; especially how he had gleefully hugged Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang after decades of ridiculing the Islamist party.
“He is a maverick and this no one can dispute. His style is combative; more like the aggressor from the kampong who won’t back away from a fight. Call him a slugger if you like,” was how seasoned Perlis-born newsman Aziz Hassan described him.
There is also no doubt that of the nine Menteri Besar Perlis has had since 1948, Shahidan has been the one to often make the news or put the state in the news, often not always for the right reasons.
Who talks about Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Pawanteh, also a 3-term MB, who has many business interests in the state. And for sure no one talks about Datuk Seri Md. Isa Sabu, the successor of Shahidan who served only one-term.
Shahidan is strong in Perlis, so much so that joke among the young ones in the state was how he was akin to a pseudo Raja of Perlis.
“If Perlis doesn’t have a Raja. He will probably appoint himself,” quipped a young street food seller at night market in Simpang Empat.
It is also an indisputable fact that Shahidan has, in all these years, used money to win over people; not cash but more in kind.
Buka Puasa feasts, perishable giveaways like slaughtered chicken to attendees from the lower income group, a weekly barbecue in each village in the state; to name a few.
“You name it, he has done it,” Aziz added.
This tactic worked to his advantage because he understood the minds in the northern Malay heartlands; where good deeds are often remembered and cherished for generations.
It may be small but Perlis is Umno’s stronghold and the electoral battle has always been between the Malay party and Pas — with the latter rarely become a spoiler.
Somehow, the Islamist party’s wider influence in the neighboring state of Kedah has not spilled over to Perlis; the way it does between Kelantan and Terengganu.
The first inroad Pas made at the state level was its victory in the Utan Aji constituency; which was won by Taharim Ariffin in the 1964 General Elections
In the following 1969 General Elections, Pas lost Utan Aji but gained the then-Arau state constituency instead, under Hussain Abdul Rahman.
The Islamist party was wiped out in consequent elections with a comeback victory happening only in the 1982 General Elections when Shuib Mohamad won the Bintong state seat.
However, it was only from the 1999 General Elections onwards that Pas and other opposition parties managed to score consistent victories in Perlis with PKR earning its maiden victory in 2013 at the Indera Kayangan seat.
By the 2018 General Elections, Pas and PKR have colletively won five state seats: Guar Sanji and Sanglang for Pas; and Sena, Indera Kayangan and Kuala Perlis for PKR.
PKR also secured its parliamentary seat in Perlis in the 2018 General Election as its candidate Amin Iskandar bested Umno’s Ramli Shariff and Pas’ Mohamad Zaid Ibrahim by 5,604 votes.
Against such stellar record by which Perlis Umno — under the leadeship of Shahidan — has managed to defend the state, it was perhaps a no-brainer why he took offence when his name was dropped from the party’s 15th General Election (GE15) lineup.
But then again, Shahidan was not the only Umno warlord that did not make the cut.
The others who shared Shahidan’s fate were Tan Sri Noh Omar (incumbent Tanjong Karang MP), Tan Sri Annuar Musa (incumbent Ketereh MP) and Datuk Seri Tajudin Abdul Rahman (incumbent Pasir Salak MP).
“All three of them have come to terms with the party’s decision. They have accepted it magnanimously and gave way; all except for Shahidan,” said BN’s candidate vying for the Arau parliamentary seat, Datuk Rozabil Abdul Rahman.
Rozabil admitted that he has a mammoth of an adversary in GE15, but to fight a seemingly power-hungry turncoat was something that needed to be done.
“He has been in power for decades. What more does he want? Is he so hard-headed that he does not want changes to happen?
“Even if I lose, I won’t be ashamed because I stood up against someone like Shahidan!” remarked the Penang-born businessman who has been dabbling in Perlis politics since 2004.
As it is, Shahidan has shown no signs of giving Umno and BN an easy bout in Perlis.
He knows how deep-rooted Umno is in the Malay heartland and realises the gravity of his betrayal and the ensuing risk of courting the chagrin of the Malays there, particularly the elderly who makes-up the most of Umno voters base.
But owing to his experiences, Shahidan — who was officially sack from Umno yesterday — also know exactly how to soothe and diffuse such tension.
The talk among locals whom Shahidan has met while he was canvassing for support was that, his defection was merely temporary and that he will rejoin Umno once Zahid is removed.
“This is what Shahidan does. He makes people confuse,” said Rozabil.
The talk seemed to carry weight as Shahidan had recently told a local news outlet this: “When Ismail Sabri becomes PM, I will be back and I will sack him (Zahid).”
How will he jump back to Umno now that the anti-party hopping law is in effect is as good as anybody’s guess.
Inadvertently, this also means that PN needs to keep a cautious eye on Shahidan — even more so if he wins Arau — because he might just pull another switcheroo which could cost them a parliamentary seat.
Then again, it would not surprising if Shahidan does so; after all revolting is what a maverick does best.
