by Zulkifli Sulong
Features and Analysis Editor
The Malaysian Insider
14 November 2014

PKR and PAS’s image took the heaviest beatings over the Selangor menteri besar (MB) imbroglio, compared to the DAP which was largely unaffected, a survey by Universiti Malaya’s Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMcedel) has found.

The findings were released by UMcedel director Dr Amir Saifude Ghazali for the survey that was conducted after Mohamed Azmin Ali was sworn in as menteri besar in September.

Across the major ethnic groups in Malaysia’s wealthiest and industrialised state, most people surveyed agreed that PKR and PAS suffered the most drop in support, with figures for PKR higher than for the Islamist party.

The UMcedel survey showed 52% of Malays in Selangor agreeing that the MB saga had reduced support for PKR, the lead party in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact, while 25% Malay respondents disagreed.

Chinese and Indian perceptions of PKR due to the impasse was also substantial, with 46% of Chinese and 45% of Indians agreeing that the multi-racial party was the most affected by the crisis.

PAS came a close second,‎ with 42% of Malays surveyed agreeing the Islamist party’s support was affected by the imbroglio, while 33% said there was no impact.

Among the Chinese, 43% said support for PAS was affected, while 41% of Indians surveyed also believed that the party’s support had been eroded.

DAP, however, came out the most unscathed, despite its role in backing PKR for a change of menteri besar.

Only 34% of Malays believed DAP had been affected by the issue, while 32% said otherwise.

Chinese voters shared the same view, with only 28% saying it was affected compared to 38% saying it had not.

The majority of Indian voters (38%) polled also said DAP was not affected, while 26% said the party had been affected.

The survey was conducted after Azmin replaced Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who lost support from his party and the DAP despite being popular among the people.

‎Overall, however, UMcedel’s survey found that Selangor voters still preferred PR over Umno, despite the blow to PKR and PAS’s image.

Support for PR in Selangor had increased to 43% after the crisis finally ended, an improvement over UMcedel’s survey‎ in May which saw support for the coalition in the state plunge to 35%, largely due to infighting.

PKR had triggered the MB crisis in January, when it engineered the Kajang Move to replace Khalid with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Support ‎for BN had reduced by 5% from 25% last May, according to the survey.

“Although the people still support PR, they ‎should not feel comfortable with their current position,” Amir said during the briefing.

Khalid, with the backing of PAS, had refused to step down for several months, and sacked all DAP and PKR executive council members from the government on August 13, two days after he was sacked from his own party.

The Port Klang assemblyman finally stepped down as MB after the PR presidential council decided on August 17 to endorse PKR President Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the top post in the state.

But the MB impasse dragged on after PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang overruled his party’s decision and said he did not agree with Dr Wan Azizah’s candidacy. Breaking ranks with allies, he submitted three different names to the Sultan.

Throughout the crisis, DAP had stood by PKR’s decision to replace Khalid with Dr Wan Azizah, and was attacked by several PAS leaders over its role in the issue.

The crisis was finally resolved when the Selangor Sultan consented to Azmin’s appointment, and the PKR deputy president was sworn in as MB on September 23.

However, PAS’s infighting continued, although it is believed that the conflict is abating after several factions from within the party convened for a retreat last weekend in Kuala Selangor where it was decided that PAS would remain in PR. – November 14, 2014.