Welcome to the home of the poll-fatigued
Turnouts at political ceramahs and events are low, as voters suffer from “by-election burnout”. — picture by Jack Ooi
Aug 22 — Welcome to Permatang Pasir, the home of the poll-fatigued where political party workers slack off, probably sickened by the word “by-election” and the locals moan at the thought of having to attend a ceramah but are obliged to, whispering to each other one of the best phrases I have heard throughout the campaign: when is it gonna end ?!
Let me, Syed Jaymal Zahiid, take you on a brilliant tour to the empty halls and fields where the political heavyweights give their ceramahs which are taking place throughout this beautiful land filled with hundreds of food stalls after food stalls that have left many outsiders like me, ironically, lunch-less as they only open at night!
Down south, we have an almost empty hall where even the biggest of the biggest Pakatan Rakyat heavyweights have no muscle to pull a crowd in this state which has experienced three by-elections in less than a year, and the second in less than three months! I’m talking about a celebrity-filled event here with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and yet the hall is only half filled! Amazing isn’t it folks?
Let’s pause the tour for a sneek peek at what the opposition celebrity as well as Umno deputy president-deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin have to say about the poor attendance at their ceramah events and the Permatang Pasir vote in general before we resume our top notch tour!
“The election machinery is slow to pick up,” said Anwar followed by Muhyiddin who admitted his BN gang faced the same problem in a press conference held across town two days ago!
Why? Could it possibly be because people are really tired of by-elections? We’ll leave it to you folks at home to decide! Well come on then, let’s get on with the show!
Up north in Kubang Semang we have another almost empty ceramah organised by PAS. What’s that? PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nik Aziz was present and yet the field is half empty? Amazing!!
Come on folks, it’s not over yet! Let’s go further north towards Permatang Pauh where Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin is giving a ceramah! Oh my God, amazing discovery! It was already a small event and yet the tents were half filled! Amazing!!
A quick fact check now folks! Umno has some 9000 registered members here while PR has 8000 and yet, top celebrity leaders entertain fewer than 200 supporters at their respective ceramah! Amazing statistics!
Ok folks, the tour is about to end now. Who can tell me what the catchphrase for the campaign is again folks? What’s that? Correct! “When is it gonna end?!”.
