A quick take from Kota Bahru, Kelantan State in Northern Malaysia- a PAS run state for 35 years, an hour from the Thai Border is borderlands at best. There are layers and nuances to this Malay Muslim Heartland also known as the Verandah to Mecca. As a person who grew up in an Arab country, the Jawi script and the Azaan brings a certain cultural familiarity.

Kota Bahru is often portrayed in the media as a backwater of sorts, a border town with little broader global significance apart from being a catalyst of the opposition benches. When driving from Kuala Besut in Terengganu state, after a couple of days in the almost picturesque and heavenly Perhentian Islands- upon entering Kelantan, the landscape of 55km from Kuala Besut to Kota Bahru was a story in itself, of agricultural riches and beautiful masjids, quite the standard of the Malay heartland. We passed through Masjids every few kilometres with religious schools also dotting the landscape. There were many central government hoardings near federally funded schools, the Sekolah Kebangsan’s. They are contesting for mindspace, while the grip is clearly with the Ulema dominated PAS. PAS has a neat digital game, as seen from the green wave of the previous elections.

There were Buddhist pagodas on the way, a Sikh temple in Kota Bahru and a prominent China Town to note. Of course, the presence of the Muslim way of life is all over, a Dakwah centre next to the museums cluster and only a bus load of Bule tourists unlike other touristy places such as Penang. But, the power of Halal Tourism globally cannot be underestimated, as Kelantan is reaching out to the Muslim tourist from Paris to Dubai to spend their beach holidays in peace in tune with their faith needs.

Each person as the erudite tour guide who dropped us to Kota Bahru quipped: this is a normal place, please come and see for yourself, all we want is work and want to send our children to college.

Geopolitical risk is felt on the ground, reading papers and writing think tank articles on second hand papers has limits.