IPOH, Feb 8 – Smiling and waving to onlookers, Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin, his eyes red and looking tired, would have been encouraged by the warm reception he got as he walked today from the old Tokyo Hotel off Anderson Road here to the nearby Kallumalai Sri Subramaniam temple opposite the city’s YMCA building.
Devotees on their way to attend Thaipusam festivities and members of the public cheered and called out to the man who still considers himself the legitimate mentri besar of Perak.
Datuk Seri Nizar handed out free drinks to the public from a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) stall at the entrance of the temple. He paused frequently to pose for pictures with members of the public.
Flanked by Sungkai assemblyman, A. Sivanesan, and Ipoh Barat Member of Parliament, M. Kulasegaran, Nizar wished the crowd a Happy Thaipusam and urged the public to be calm.
“Please do not overact or do anything which can harm society,” he said in what was an obvious reference to the widespread public dissatisfaction over the manner in which Barisan Nasional (BN) has now taken over the state.
On Friday, while Sultan Azlan Shah swore in BN’s Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir as the new mentri besar, violence broke out outside the palace in Kuala Kangsar when police fired tear gas and forcibly put down a demonstration by more than 5,000 mainly-Malay protestors.
Nizar contends he remains the Perak MB as he has not resigned, and the issue is set to end up in the courts.
In the battle for hearts and minds – at least here in Ipoh, the capital city – the sympathy is clearly with Nizar.
Tonight, Nizar will receive some encouragement from national PR leaders. Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, Pas president Hadi Awang and DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang is scheduled to address a public gathering at the MB’s residence.
Zambry continues to fight an uphill battle to win over the public. The BN camp knows that the only way they can overcome the negative perception of the new government is by performing well and working hard.
So far, Zambry has been promising money wherever he goes and sticking to a scripted line which bears similarities to Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi oft-quoted “I am the prime minister for all Malaysians.”
This morning, Zambry also went to the same temple as Nizar, in an attempt to pull the rug from under Nizar, and became, according to locals, the first MB from Barisan to ever step foot in the temple.
He announced an immediate allocation of RM100,000 for the Thaipusam celebrations.
Zambry arrived at the temple at 8.30am, accompanied by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister Department, T.Murugiah, and temple officials.
After being garlanded, Zambry made it a point to stop at stalls which lined the road leading to the entrance of the temple, before finally addressing a small crowd from a small stage.
Besides announcing the allocation, Zambry who greeted the crowd in Tamil, reiterated that he was MB for everyone, a message he has been repeating at all official functions.
“I want to tell all Indians, here, that I am the MB of all races and I am here for you.”
A day before, Zambry attended a Chinese New Year party organised by BN and said the same thing.
But his message yesterday at a Chinese school was partly drowned out by hundreds of protesters outside the compound.
At the MCA-organised party, he also pledged cash for a Chinese musical orchestra from one of the richest government Chinese schools in the city.
So far, Nizar continues to run his “seat of government” from the official mentri besar’s residence which he has refused to vacate.
In an attempt to change public perception, Umno plans to organise a mammoth rally tomorrow to show support for the Sultan.
Umno media has so far portrayed Nizar and PR leaders as disloyal for challenging Sultan Azlan Shah’s decision.
On Tuesday, both Nizar and Zambry plan to report for work at the MB’s office.
Local activists in Ipoh are calling on the public to wear black on Tuesday to mourn what they say is “the death of democracy”.
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