A lawyer chronicles her adventures as a political campaigner for Parti Keadilan Rakyat in the upcoming Hulu-Selangor by-election. On day 5, she goes incognito in Hulu Selangor.

(Day 1): Armour, Shield, & Sword

(Day 2): Nomination Day

(Day 3): On the Ground

(Day 4): Restless & Ruminating (LB Note: Link updated 2.00p.m. April 23, 2010)

Day 5: Cruising the sleepy hollow

Crusing the sleepy hollow
Instead of following the group, I decided to cruise around town absorbing the development and ceramah-hop, not as a PKR member but as a non-partisan bystander.

The flags have now significantly increased, both Pakatan and Barisan flags. The first ceramah I saw was one by DAP – two tents combined with about 50 occupied chairs and about a hundred people there. YB Teng Chang Khim was speaking in Hokkien and the crowd loved his humour.

Even I laughed despite having heard the same thing being said many times before at other ceramahs. But because of my poor comprehension of the dialect, I could not really get what he was saying but the laughter of the crowd proved to be very infectious! His hand gestures of showing two fingers and five fingers, one after the other too, gave away what he was saying. When YB Lim Kit Siang showed up, the crowd stood up and clapped. Many rushed to shake his hands.

Wide smiles carved on faces as YB Lim Kit Siang arrives
Wide smiles carved on faces as YB Lim Kit Siang arrives

About 30 motorcyclists rode past the ceramah about twice, with Barisan flags and had distracted the crowd. YB Lim waited for the exhaust noises to subside before brushing them off and continuing with his speech.

There are more Barisan booths that are overflowing with flags, but with just 3-4 people sitting, chatting, and looking relaxed.

I passed by the “Karvinal Rakyat” I mentioned before and it still very brightly lit. Two lines of cars parked at the side of the road and that was at 11.00p.m. Are they having a ball in there?

It was difficult looking for a Barisan ceramah, and when I finally found one it was over. A lady welcomed me warmly when I approached and she invited me to help myself to he light refreshments. She told me to come back the next day and bring my family and friends, “Bawa ayah, mak, adik, abang dan semua kawan-kawan!” She proudly told me that Mukhriz Mahathir will be coming. When I told her I’m not a local, her smile faded but told me to come anyway. (I thought she might have seen through me). Another local proclaimed, “BN best!” and gave the thumbs up and said he thinks Pakatan only has 30% chance of winning this by-election.

YB Teng charming the crowd with his fluent Hokkien and humour
YB Teng charming the crowd with his fluent Hokkien and humour

Just around the corner was another DAP ceramah, in a huge hall. It was conducted in Mandarin. Again, the crowd loved the humour and the speaker’s charisma.

The people here seem to love by-elections. They have something to look forward to. Something different from their usual soap operas on TV or the routine gossiping at the market. The people who attended the ceramahs, who would likely to have been asleep at that hour, were all chatting excitedly about the upcoming by-elections. The youths are helping with the flags instead of bumming at a mamak stall and the best part of it is they do look like they’re enjoying themselves doing it for their party.

DAP ceramah
DAP ceramah in a huge hall

The Chinese shops that would usually be closed at midnight are still open, probably catering for the by-elections. The usually non-existent traffic of Hulu Selangor too has increased with more cars on the roads.

If you have not noticed, locating an opposition ceramah was easier than the Barisan ceramah. Also, the Barisan ceramah had ended earlier than the opposition ceramah. Apart from flags and booths to make their presence known, it does not look like Barisan is doing more than Pakatan.

Could we gather that they are confident in winning? Now, from this little information, can we safely say Pakatan has the Chinese votes in the bag?

I really do hope Hulu Selangorians prove my first impression wrong. Fingers crossed!

LoyarBurok Note: Read more from Eunice at her blog.

10 replies on “Eunice’s Hulu Selangor Diary (Day 5): Cruising the Sleepy Hollow”

  1. .

    ;-) Eunice,

    Thank you for your updates. Much appreciate.

    The link for

    … (Day 4): Restless & Ruminating

    … cannot be read

    … require login / password.

    I am amazed by your energetic participation in this by-election. After reading your Day 5 writeUp, most likely I be at KKB soon.

    Kind regards. JamesQuah

    ***

  2. Thanks, Eunice for the report card @ Hulu Selangor.

    It gives me an idea of what is happening there….very nice…

    Keep it coming.

    It would be nice if you could pop into one of the BN ceramahs and write about what they preach. It would be intriguing.

    Siebel

  3. The flame of REFORMASI has been lighted throughout Malaysia!
    Hidup Rakyat ! VOTE FOR ZAID IBRAHIM !

  4. Eunice, many thks for the reporting…

    I read Kwong Ming Daily yesterday and one of the columnists was predicting that Pakatan might lose.

    I hate that feeling but i am afraid that it may come true (heaven forbids!!!).

    I do not want to put too much hope on Pakatan lest i will be heart-broken, i hate that feeling.

    Anyway, deep in me, i want Pakatan to win because it cannot afford to lose this battle…

    How i wish i can twist God’s arms to help Pakatan…

    Hidup Zaid !!! Hidup Pakatan !!!

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