TAN Sri Mohamad Isa Abdul Samad and his wife, Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid, resplendent in traditional garb, were here at the Melursari Precinct in Bandar Sungai Buaya for a Beramah Mesra Bersama Pengantin Baru event on Monday.
What set it apart from other kenduri kahwin, was that the groom took the microphone and talked politics.
Late-comers braved the rain and many guests stayed on to listen to Isa debating on the credibility of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat candidate and its de facto leader, the crumbling of Pakatan Rakyat alliance, hammering home the point whether such a party was worthy of their trust and votes.
"They can't even take care of themselves, do you think they can take care of you? Rentikanlah." Applause and laughter greeted his colloquial punchline that they should quit dreaming, much less hope, that PKR would ever take up the Hulu Selangor voters' cause.
Also seated at the main table was former Hulu Selangor candidate Datuk Dr Halili Rahmat, who left PKR just that morning to explain his political predicament with PKR, thus lending weight to Isa's debate.
Isa, a seasoned politician, knew how to have the audience eating out of his hand. The air was almost festive.
On the following night at Dataran Bukit Sentosa, PKR brought in stalwarts Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang, who took turns rebutting BN campaign points, defending their candidate and refutting claims that PR was not a "cracked stone waiting to crumble".
"As you can see, we are all here, united and stronger," said Lim , booming through the speakers, an equally experienced politician who knew how to cast a spell on his audience. The air was electrifying.
One ceramah felt like a Zapin Fest the other, a Rock Kapak concert. Obviously, both parties are adopting contrasting strategies of extreme ends.
BN has zoomed in on local issues from sports field, traffic lights, highway interchange, abandoned projects to an Orang Asli cooperative while PR stayed national with the Apco allegations and ISA reforms.
BN is fielding a fresh face close-to-home candidate (P. Kamalanathan is from Rawang) with great charm whom no voters could say no to, but PKR put up a Kelantanese disgruntled ex-minister and branded him as a no nonsense fighter who knows the ropes in Parliament.
BN goes by Sayangi Selangor, Yakini BN (Love Selangor, Support BN), PKR says it with Bersama Selamatkan Malaysia (Together We Save Malaysia).
Cynics would take Kamalanathan as a novice and Zaid as an ex-Umno member fishing for a spot in Parliament.
Isa, a seasoned politician, knew how to have the audience eating out of his hand. The air was almost festive.
On the following night at Dataran Bukit Sentosa, PKR brought in stalwarts Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang, who took turns rebutting BN campaign points, defending their candidate and refutting claims that PR was not a "cracked stone waiting to crumble".
"As you can see, we are all here, united and stronger," said Lim , booming through the speakers, an equally experienced politician who knew how to cast a spell on his audience. The air was electrifying.
One ceramah felt like a Zapin Fest the other, a Rock Kapak concert. Obviously, both parties are adopting contrasting strategies of extreme ends.
BN has zoomed in on local issues from sports field, traffic lights, highway interchange, abandoned projects to an Orang Asli cooperative while PR stayed national with the Apco allegations and ISA reforms.
BN is fielding a fresh face close-to-home candidate (P. Kamalanathan is from Rawang) with great charm whom no voters could say no to, but PKR put up a Kelantanese disgruntled ex-minister and branded him as a no nonsense fighter who knows the ropes in Parliament.
BN goes by Sayangi Selangor, Yakini BN (Love Selangor, Support BN), PKR says it with Bersama Selamatkan Malaysia (Together We Save Malaysia).
Cynics would take Kamalanathan as a novice and Zaid as an ex-Umno member fishing for a spot in Parliament.
Fence-sitters are a fickle lot. The Batang Kali state constituency has the largest number of voters in Hulu Selangor with 27,832 voters.
But it was an open secret that during the last general election, many had decided not to cast their votes or deliberately spoilt it as a protest against the BN candidate.
"Traditionally, Batang Kali has been a BN area until the last election, but it was more of a personality issue rather than the party," said BN supporter Abdul Rahman Abu Nawar.
"Traditionally, Batang Kali has been a BN area until the last election, but it was more of a personality issue rather than the party," said BN supporter Abdul Rahman Abu Nawar.
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