TELUK INTAN, May 18:
Dyana Sofea Mohd Daud, DAP’s underdog candidate for Teluk Intan has surely set men’s hearts ablaze.
With her demure looks, charisma and knowledge, ‎the 27-year-old law graduate got temperatures soaring in a PAS vicinity yesterday night, upon the mere mention of her arrival.
Wolf whistles echoed at Padang Pemuda PAS in Kampung Bahagia, Teluk Intan here, as she made her way onto the stage to take her seat.
So much so, not many (well, the men mostly) bothered about the presence of DAP top dogs, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng.
“Alala… comei… comei… tak nak tengok Guan Eng dah,” (Ooo… so cute… I don’t want to see Guan Eng anymore) a young man cried upon seeing Dyana, placing both his hands on his cheeks. Another man, donning a PAS image, placed his child on a chair beside him to cheer and whistle for Dyana, after which he was nudged by his tudung-clad wife. So much so, that even reporters were cried at and ordered to sit down for blocking a seemingly “priceless view”.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) speakers included PAS‎ vice-president Datuk Husam Musa and former Perak menteri besar, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar.
Nizar in his address, asked, “Are you ready for Dyana? Why do you need to vote for her?”
To this, some cried out, “Because she is beautiful.”
Husam in his speech also highlighted Dyana’s “plus point”.
“Other than her beauty, she has impressive knowledge… ‎then again, an MP with both beauty and brains is a bonus,” Husam said to cheers of support from the men folk. “Strike out the names of the ‘oldies’ from Barisan Nasional (BN)..if Dyana enters Parliament, even the Speaker will focus on her!” Husam added. Guan Eng in his speech, introduced Dyana as Teluk Intan’s “precious diamond of high value.”
Dyana who has now seemingly become a dream girl for Teluk Intan men, made the event yesterday akin to a sell-out concert, with a packed crowd ‎cheering for her.
“Dear brothers, please campaign for me will you? Please ensure my victory.”
To this the men replied; Boleh Puteri Dyana!! Boleh! (Can Princess Dyana! Can!)‎, while the ladies shook their heads.
In her short speech at the launch of PR’s party machinery, Dyana ‎assured the crowd that she will work hard to ensure she delivers her very best.
“I’m not here to seek glamour. If I were to, I would have become an artist..I am here to serve the people,” she said to thunderous applause.
Dyana clad in a purple head scarf and pink baju kurung said that she also aims to eradicate race politics from the country’s system.
“I thank Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil for her advice, but I just want to ask one thing… has Umno ever fielded as 27-year-old woman in any parliamentary constituency?
“If it has, then I will listen to her.”
Yesterday, Shahrizat who is the Wanita Umno chief, ‎expressed pity towards Dyana for allegedly being unaware that she was actually a mere puppet being used by the DAP to grab power.
“All your support will only fuel me to work harder. Thank you.”
The women folk however expressed admiration for the courage showed by the young lass.
“I am proud of her… she is a progressive young Malay woman… a good example for other Malay girls.
“She is really putting up with a lot of tough challenges and we hope she wins,” Norsuhaila Ismail, 36, said.
“I have a daughter and I hope she will be like Dyana some day… may more young ones rise to challenges like her,” Rohani Hamsi, 42‎ said.
Solehah Mustafa, a mother of six, hoped that Dyana can be a trailblazer for Teluk Intan women especially.
“‎I think she can bring changes… especially for Teluk Intan women, to be just like her.
“We need more ladies like her and we will vote for her,” Solehah, 53, added.