Duyong rep Noor Helmy’s popularity among all ‘a big hurdle to DAP’

DAP faces a tough road ahead if it hopes to regain the Duyong state seat in Melaka, as assemblyman Noor Helmy Abdul Halem has grown in popularity, especially with the help of social media, says an analyst.

Lau Zhe Wei of the International Islamic University Malaysia said the first-term assemblyman was widely popular across all communities in Duyong, regardless of background.

“DAP can put their candidate forward and promote them, but it would not augur well for the party to attack Noor Helmy, especially in unreasonable matters,” he told FMT. Attacking Noor Helmy who is well-liked even outside Duyong could also hamper DAP in other seats.

“What happens in Duyong won’t be limited to Duyong. Instead, it would convey DAP’s image throughout Melaka,” he said.

Melaka DAP recently announced that it will contest eight seats in the upcoming state election, including the Duyong seat which it hopes to regain from Barisan Nasional.

Traditionally an MCA seat, Duyong was wrested by DAP for the first time in 2013 before being retained for another term in 2018. However, in the 2021 election, Noor Helmy was elected with a slim majority of 200 votes, defeating his predecessor from DAP, Damian Yeo.

Noor Helmy has since grown in popularity, partly thanks to his Facebook page frequently featuring videos of the Umno man interacting and jesting with constituents of various communities, including an elderly uncle known as “Uncle Wong”, who has developed a following of his own online.

Last month, Yeo lauded Noor Helmy as a “good man” he was glad to have lost to, even expressing his belief that the first-term assemblyman was chief minister-material.

Another analyst, Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, said DAP stands the best chance at victory if there is a three-cornered fight between BN, Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan, which would split Malay votes.

However, he believed even this would be a tough battle since Umno has established a strong political base in Melaka.

“The Malay-Muslim unity narrative that emerged in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan polls is likely to continue in Melaka. And with Duyong having about 60% Malay voters, Umno has the biggest potential to win.”

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