Sanusi's arrest and prosecution will increase voters' support - Analyst

KUALA LUMPUR - The arrest and prosecution of Kedah Caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor will not weaken but rather strengthen his popularity and support among voters.

According to political analyst Prof Wong Chin Huat, Sanusi will be seen as a victim of persecution and a fighter in the eyes of his supporters, thereby helping the Perikatan Nasional (PN) in their future campaign.

"I believe that the detention and prosecution of Sanusi will be an advantage to PN because he will be seen as a fighter in the eyes of his supporters.

"His supporters will view Sanusi as a victim of persecution, which will not weaken the PN but instead increase support for the coalition," he said in an interview with Awani on Tuesday.

Wong emphasised that Sanusi's immense popularity cannot be denied, making it difficult for opponents to launch effective attacks against him.

Furthermore, he added that this arrest will serve as a warning to everyone not to touch upon the 3R issues (royalty, race, and religion).

"I believe that the opponents' relentless attacks on Sanusi have been relatively unsuccessful.

"This arrest is also said to serve as a warning to his supporters to be more cautious, but it will not weaken Sanusi's popularity among his staunch supporters," he clarified.

In light of this, he added that in order to compete with this popularity, another party needs to offer alternative proposals.

Among these proposals, according to Wong, are competition based on evidence regarding integrity and corruption issues, as well as competition in finding solutions and policies. - Awani