The campaign, launched last Saturday, seeks to point out the failures of the state government in handling such issues as the dengue epidemic, the water crisis, waste collection and online gambling.
When it comes to developed states like Selangor, according to Faisal S Hazis of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, voters tend to pay more attention to national issues.
He said the issues that would be on the minds of Selangor voters in the coming general election were the 1MDB controversy and allegations of corrupt practices and abuse of power at the national level.
“In certain constituencies, the local dynamics would come into play in affecting votes, but national issues play a more significant role in more developed states like Selangor,” he said.
However, he regarded Selangor Umno’s initiative as being in keeping with democratic practice.
In any constituency, he said, there should be a responsible opposition taking up issues affecting the locals. “It is its duty to raise issues that Pakatan Harapan has failed to address in the last five years.”
Another analyst, Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya, agreed that those living in urban areas were more easily riled up over national issues such as the rise in petrol prices and the recent increase in the price of cooking oil. They would blame a lack of central control for these, he added.
He acknowledged that the recent water crisis had somewhat affected the Selangor Government’s ratings in terms of its capability to govern, but he noted that the state administration had settled the issue.
Referring to the problems of dengue and online gambling, he said these had been around even when Barisan Nasional was in power.
“Selangor Umno Chief Noh Omar may have been working hard for Selangorians recently, but even his efforts are sometimes drowned by national issues plaguing the country,” he said.
Selangor Umno Information Chief Zein Isma Ismail has said that his party would use flash mobs and talks in polling districts as part of the Rise & Save Selangor campaign.