Mohamed Azmin Ali had an easy run retaining his Gombak parliamentary seat in the 14th general election compared with the previous two elections.
In 2018, as the powerful PKR deputy president, he won by a whopping 48,721 votes to defeat the Barisan Nasional and PAS candidates.
In the 2013 general election, he won by 4,734 votes against BN and independent candidates and on his maiden run in 2008, his majority was 6,867 votes in a straight fight against a BN candidate.
In the next elections, however, things may not be so easy for Azmin, given the disappointment of voters after he defected from PKR and Pakatan Harapan, which resulted in the fall of the previous government.
Worse, he also played a pivotal role in the pact’s demise by joining forces with Muhyiddin Yassin’s Bersatu to see the return of BN and PAS as ruling parties in the Perikatan Nasional pact. PKR has since sacked Azmin and his followers.
Former PKR leader Zuraida Kamaruddin, who left the party with Azmin and other lawmakers, said there is a “grand event” planned next week to announce their membership in Bersatu.
Some Gombak voters The Malaysian Insight spoke to blamed Azmin for the collapse of PH and vowed to punish him in the next elections.
Zul, 50, said he is disappointed with Azmin for leaving PKR with other elected reps.
“For 20 years, we have been supporting PKR and suddenly, the candidate we chose to serve the people under the Pakatan Harapan banner left the party and joined the rival to form a government.
“I am personally disappointed with him. His action is a betrayal,” said the hawker who only wanted to be known as Zul.
Rahim Abdul Majid, a voter in Hulu Kelang – one of three state seats in Gombak – said the people in the constituency would definitely vote for a different candidate in the next elections.
“I think the people here will look for a replacement. Be it Umno or PAS, or maybe even from PKR. The people will look at a candidate with credibility. They are disappointed with Azmin,” he said.
Sharing Rahim’s sentiment is Firdaus Ahmad Asri, who said Azmin may face a tough time should he contest in Gombak again.
“It will not be easy for him this time. The people are upset. They may choose someone else this time. Since the majority of the people here voted for him the last time, he will need to explain when he comes here to campaign.”
For Parvathi Ramaiyah, PKR has served the constituency well since taking over in 2008. She said she may vote for Azmin again despite his recent move to defect from PH.
“Our welfare has been taken care of since PKR took over and we are satisfied. But I may vote for him again.”
Sankar and Puspa mirrored Parvathi’s view, saying that Azmin is well known among the Indian community in the district.
“We are satisfied with the MP and PKR. They have done a good job helping the poor. Come the next election, we may vote for Azmin, but our option is still open,” they said.
Muafakat Nasional factor
Gombak has three state seats – Hulu Kelang, Gombak Setia and Sg Tua.
Amanah’s Saari Sungib is Hulu Kelang’s three-term state rep while Sg Tua is helmed by Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari and Gombak Setia was won by Hilman Idham, one of Azmin’s loyalists in PKR, and who is now an independent assemblyman.
Azmin is now the de facto deputy prime minister in Muhyiddin’s government and is expected to join Bersatu soon.
Given that Bersatu is also set to be part of the Muafakat Nasional pact with Umno and PAS, there is a likelihood of him being given the same seat again, unless he wants to move out.
Local Umno and PAS leaders told The Malaysian Insight that they are prepared to work for MN candidates in the next general election.
Selangor Umno information chief Dr Abdul Rahman Bakri said seat negotiations in the state have been finalised, but this was done before Bersatu officially joined the Umno-PAS pact.
“As far as I am concerned, we followed what was said by our president that there was only Muafakat Nasional. Therefore, our cooperation is only with MN partners.
“Moreover, seat talks are done and we are looking to make MN stronger,” said the Sabak Bernam Umno division chief.
A PAS spokesman in Gombak said the same thing, “Our yang dipertuan PAS in Gombak has made it clear that our partner is Umno.
“Azmin is not in the picture (for now) although at federal level we are also part of the government,” said the source, who declined to comment further.
Meanwhile, Azmin’s aide said the three-term Gombak MP won’t budge and will contest the next general election here despite an angry electorate.
The aide told The Malaysian Insight that Azmin is confident he’ll win over voters disappointed with the former PKR deputy president’s defection from Pakatan Harapan, which led to the government’s collapse in February.
However, Azmin is set to face a tough fight from his former party PKR, which is keen to wrest back the seat which it considers its own.
“Of course, he will stay and defend. We are confident he can retain the seat with his good track record.
“He has served Gombak without excluding anyone and this is evident by the numbers of votes he received in the last general election.
“In every election, his votes increased,” said the aide who refused to be identified.
In the meantime, Gombak PKR is keen to show that it can survive without Azmin and wants to win the seat to prove its point.
A deputy branch chief here, Abdul Rahim Kasdi, played down Azmin’s influence in the area.
He said PKR’s real threat comes from PAS and Umno.
“We are not worried about Azmin and his splinter group. Our real threat is Umno and PAS and we are not denying that.
“They have a good support base here,” Rahim told The Malaysian Insight.
Rahim also said PKR Gombak remains solid despite Azmin’s defection.
“The impact was minimal and yes, only a few loyalists left the party with him.
“The majority of the grassroots are still with PKR and we’re still solid.”