Kelantan Or Bust

Well, that's generally the whole idea as far as the Barisan Nasional is concerned.
If it does not recapture Kelantan now, it might as well wrap it all up and ciao.
After all, there is no reason to feel demoralised since the 2004 general election.
There is every reason to be hopeful.
Did the BN not win 21 of the 45 state seats, and later, one more following a by-election.
So, BN leaders, and specifically Umno's, are naturally encouraged by the coalition's "small" defeat in the state.
"It is a one-seat majority. That's good", said an Umno supporter in Kelantan.
Some describe BN's defeat in Kelantan as a handsome one. Figuratively.
BN lost the battle but not the war. It was, by any measure, a moral victory for Kelantan Umno.
The prospects to recapture the state (it lost to PAS in 1990) should be good.
Umno's "Win Kelantan" masterplan or blueprint or strategy had been taking shape and perfected for quite some time.
"Kelantan is under siege," said a voter, referring to the presence of Umno's big guns in the state -- from the partry presiednt, deputy president right down the line.
The mighty BN seems unstoppable, buoyed and encourage by what is perceived to be Umno's growing popularity in the state and Pas' long-term lacklustre administration.
Even Najib Abdul Razak from day one cheered on about "Tahun Merawat Kelantan" (The Year To Cure Kelantan).
And we know about the "Padeh Doh" slogan which has got some mixed reviews.
Some like it. Some don't.
But it was also Najib who reminded Kelantan Umno not to slack, slip and slide.
PAS would win back Kelantan by default, he said.
Najib was referring to the infamous Umno infighting in Kelantan.
Get your act together, he warned.
The message was intended for the camps of Kelantan Umno chief Annuar Musa, Menteri Besar-designate Awang Adek and Mustapa Mohamed.
Political observers said that on paper, the prognosis seems to be bright for Umno.
"They've got the money and the machinery to make things happen. But, sometimes other factors interfere to derail plans," said one, referring to the infighting.

Other than that, what could possibly go wrong?
Well, just about anything.

"This is Kelantan. You can never really tell. In 2004, everyone thought Umno would win. It did not. And many things can happen in 3 years. Many things have," said a PAS supporter.

For PAS, its unimpressive win in 2004 certainly had to do with the wind of change -- the transition of power from Dr Mahathir to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"By the skin of their teeth," said an Umno insider.

Still, there is PAS spiritual advisor, the one and only Nik Aziz. No kidding.
Umno is not about to trivialise his role and influence in Kelantan.

The old man is no pushover, as many Umno captains will attest.

I, like many others, am waiting with bated breath to see which way the wind is blowing this time? And how strongly.
Is Umno's "we will bring you development" hard sell convincing?
Because there are many who are not amused by what they see as the BN government denying Kelantan its due development.
Is the BN kind of development what Kelantanese really want in the bigger scheme of things?

Have Kelantanese finally given up on Pas?
And has the BN managed to turn over the Pas faithfuls?

For either side, it is indeed a case of "Kelantan or bust".