Of simplicity, misconception, needs and...

Children make a quick getaway through a wall of BN and Umno flags after attending prayers yesterday at the mosque in Kampung Tok Gong Nasek, Kuala Terengganu. — Picture by Choo Choy May
The picture tells it all. The simplicity of Kuala Terengganu folks are easy to read. Despite the brouhaha of campaign workers and election fever, these kids just want to perform their responsibility to their One god ie to perform their weekly Jumaat prayers. However, the political animals just do not comprehend the needs of the simple headed Kuala Terengganu voters.

Children make a quick getaway through a wall of BN and Umno flags after attending prayers at the mosque in Kampung Tok Gong Nasek, Kuala Terengganu. — Picture by Choo Choy May.

This entrance will delve into the needs of simplicity versus the political conception of various political machineries of the contesting candidates to P36 - by election for Kuala Terengganu parliment seat.

The first and foremost issue is the selection of candidates. BN in its chase to regain lost glory of the past has make a fundamental mistake by selecting Wan Farid Wan Salleh as their choice of candidate. Being a former political secretary to the outgoing PM, Wan Farid has been deemed to be the proxy of PM and this, by itself is an unwanted baggage when the PM has been painted as a sleepyhead, out of touch with the daily needs of the masses. Further, being the younger brother of Wan Hisham, he carries an added baggage and difficulty to shake off the notion that they are in cahoots with one Patrick Badawi, skimming millions of dollars from the Wang Ehsan and later the oil royalty funds by running the Monsoon cup and building the now going to be forgotten Taman Tamaddun Islam. Further, his older brother's contest against the late Dato' Razali Ismail for the post of Vice chief KT UMNO division kills off the idea that UMNO appreciates what the late Dato' Razali has done to the KT constituents and Malaysia during his tenure as the Deputy Education Minister.

Malaysian Insider quoted Wan Farid as saying "It is not true to suggest in any way that Kuala Terengganu Umno had sidelined him (Dato' Razali). At the opening of the delegates' meeting I made it clear that it was a family contest," . Yes, it is a family contest, alright. The family contest to make the older brother wins the vice chief post.

And yet BN do not has the capability to choose other candidate as their option is next to zero. BN could not go for Mad Kerak, as the guy is not well educated. They could not gun for the Zubers' as one is an outdated and wasted lawyer whilst the other, although interested, does not carry the same aura as that of Dato' Razali. Thus, Najib and BN has to go for Wan Farid, even that is not their best option. Come to think about it, Why didn't BN parachute in one of the sons of Dato' Razali and hope that the legacy left by the late Dato' Razali can carry the son through the by election. Afterall, he is currently working in the PM's department (or somewhere close to Putrajaya).

PAS on the other hand has a deep pool of prospective people that can be candidates. T PAS is banking on the undisputed undefeated person in the form of Wahid Endut. Although the independent study indicated Dr Syed Azman, the Dr is already knee deep with responsibilty in PAS. Mustaffa Ali and Wan Mutallib, although capable, are right in making way for others to contest. Mustafa Ali should not feel slighted with PAS choice as he will definitely be needed in a bigger picture in Pakatan Rakyat with his vast experience. The same can be said with Wan Mutallib.

And what about the Kg China folks? The presence of MCA big guns as well as DAP supremo may not sway mush because their problem shall be the multi dialects. The chinese in Kg China feels more at home with thick Terengganu slang.

Although KT folks are simple in their approach, don't be fooled by their outside appearance. They talk in their own kopi tiams whilst playing checkers on the who, what, where, when and why's of KT happenings.

Never for once should anybody take for granted that miss to see the big houses adorning parts of Kuala Terengganu if the household income is not in tandem with the social status.

And the house shown is not the complete picture yet. See who is the owner of the house next door and also see who is the neighbour to this house. Maybe KT folks know better that 2 + 2 may not be necessarily equals to 4.

Rakyat Kuala Terengganu adalah lebih bijak kerana mereka memepunyai telahan sendiri tentang apa yang berlaku di sekeliling mereka. Dan apa yang tersirat mungkin membawa erti yang lebih mendalam dari apa yang tersurat....

Apakah kerajaan pusat berfikir rakyat KT dan Terengganu lupa tentang ketandusan pemimpin Terengganu yang dilantik untuk menerajui Kementerian di Putrajaya. Dengan kemenangan BN di Terengganu pada Mac 2008, BN masih lupa untuk membalas jasa dan pengorbanan rakyat Terengganu dalam menongkah arus tsunami dan masih memberi peluang dan ruang untuk PM kekal ditampuk pemerintahan.

Kerajaan pusat dan PR lupa bahwa rakyat Terengganu mempunyai pandangan yang lebih jauh dari yang lain apabila mereka sebulat hati memberi kepercayaan kepada PAS untuk memerintah Terengganu pada 1999 dulu. Rakyat Terengganu masih tidak lupa apabila pemimpin UMNO Terengganu bertemu muka dengan PM ketika itu sehingga wang royalti Terengganu telah diambil balik.


We have not indulge in the art of possiblity yet on who will be promoted to fill the quota in the cabinet. That will de done in due time...

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...