DAP veteran supremo Lim Kit Siang is still far from facing reality, and continues to rely on rhetoric to defend the party and his political relevance.
Why do you think Pakatan Rakyat (now defunct after being stabbed and left high and dry by PAS) and de facto Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was strong and mighty in two successive general elections (GE12 and GE13).
Now that Anwar is languishing in Sungai Buloh Prison, Pakatan Rakyat “dropped dead” with the Hadi Awang-led PAS going going rogue, politically.
Now PAS is “neither here nor there politically” and it would be a folly to think the so-called “conservative” PAS leaders and Hadi do not know it.
The results of the June 18, 2016, Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar simultaneous by-elections clearly shows PAS just cannot win in general elections just on Malay votes. But, PAS still commands substantial rural and Malay support because it is one of the oldest Malay party in Malaysia and with “fixed deposit” rural voters.
Why do you think Umno has been wooing PAS diligently, and with some measure of success, to its side.
The Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) is no political fool. The Opposition needs strong majority support from the Malays, especially those in the rural areas, to dethrone the ruling coalition.
As long as PAS forces three or multiple-corner fights in electoral battles, BN-Umno will win with relative ease.
Isn’t it clear that the Anwar-led Pakatan was strong because of the the PAS votes in GE12 and GE13?
And why do you think PAS has not rejoined BN? Because PAS is more valuable to Umno political agenda, splitting the Malay Opposition votes.
And what did Lim say?
Free Malaysia Today online news portal reported Lim as believing the Opposition would lose control of the Selangor state government to the BN and lose as many as 20 seats in the state assembly.
However, the formation of the new Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin could make a difference if the party could win a large portion of the votes that went to Umno in 2013.
Yes, Lim knows the Opposition will lose many seats to Umno because PAS is no more a political buddy with Pakatan Harapan (Pakatan) or whatever.
What Lim does not say directly, or call a spade a spade and nothing else, is that the real enemy of the Opposition today is PAS.
So, Lim and Pakatan must face reality and take the bull by its horns - go after PAS, attack PAS and win over their hardcore voters/supporters in the rural areas.
Why is it that DAP and Pakatan are not doing that? Too much hard work? There is absolutely no short cuts for the Opposition in its preparation for electoral battles with BN’s election machinery and money arising as the incumbent federal government.
After two successive general elections, it is clear that the urban voters have dumped BN and are also expected to vote against the ruling coalition in GE14.
Don’t the DAP and Pakatan realise that by going down to the rural areas, they tackle both PAS and Umno’s “fixed deposits”. And that is killing two birds with a stone in the run-up to GE14.
Relying on the internet and social media to reach out to the rural folk is certainly not enough. There is nothing like facing the rural votes at a good old ceramah (political rally).
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| This is good but relying on the internet on this is simply not good enough to win elections. |
But will Bersatu really make the difference in the loss of PAS votes in GE14? Again, look at the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar twin by-elections.
There is also another srious problem in the Opposition. The splinter PAS party, Amanah. How is Pakatan going to reach a consensus in seat allocations for GE14?
So, Lim, stop your rhetoric and your obsession in calling for this and that agenda of reforms. It is all well, just and good but it is not going to help you win general elections.
This has been proven so for the past 13 general elections. And it will remain so, as long as the Opposition remains apathetic and lazy to work their ass out in winning the hearts and minds of the rural folk, and that includes the rural non-Malays!
Lim and the Opposition can propose the best and most idealistic agenda of reforms but the Umno-led BN will secure the mandate to rull at every GE.
The Opposition must start thinking out of the box, face reality and go out full force to tackle the lack of support by the rural folk.
One may wonder why hasn’t BN chairman and Prime Minister Najib Razak has yet to call for snap GE14 after the “landslide” wins in the by-elections.
Maybe it will come soon or maybe it will not.
It all depends on whether Najib and Umno feel confident to win GE14 hands down.
Right now, Najib and Umno are probably weighing the Malay support for Mahathir and Muhyiddin’s Bersatu.
After all, Mahathir and Muhyiddin are two names Umno and rural Malays are familiar with and feel “warm” with.
And, it would also be a folly to underestimate Mahathir’s goodwill with the rural Malays under his 22-year reign as Umno president and Prime Minister.
So, the ball is now, and still is, at Najib’s feet with the Opposition still tattered politically.
Any delay may perhaps give time to the Opposition to consolidate and unite. Will that happen?
And here is the Lim “political crap” as reported by Free Malaysia Today, if you think it is still worth finding out:
"Kit Siang proposes 5-10-9-7 formula of reforms
FMT Reporters
August 14, 2016
DAP adviser says one-to-one fights against Barisan Nasional not enough to draw voters, calls for a common reform programme among members of Opposition coalition.
PETALING JAYA: The DAP’s Lim Kit Siang has called for a common agenda of reforms that a new coalition of Opposition parties can present to voters and convince them to vote against the Barisan Nasional at the next general election.
In a speech to DAP members in Batu Pahat, Johor, on Saturday, Lim said it was not enough to hold one-to-one contests between a unified Opposition front and the Barisan Nasional.
He said the other more important element of the strategy for success was a minimum common electoral programme.
Lim noted that he had already proposed several elements of this programme in March last year.
Apart from defending constitutionalism and the rule of law, the new Opposition coalition should have:
• five fundamental principles of defending constitutionalism such as:
– Islam as the official religion and freedom of practice for other religions;
– constitutional monarchy;
– Bahasa Malaysia as the official language and free use and study of other languages; and
– upholding the guarantee and spirit of federalism in the Malaysia Agreement.
• a 10-point programme for a high-performance economy;
• a nine-point agenda to restore the doctrine of separation of powers, as well as the independence, professionalism and integrity of national institutions; and
• seven immediate tasks to promote national unity and understanding among the diverse races, religions and cultures in the country.
Lim called for a national debate on the full scale of reforms that were needed.
He said the Opposition coalition must present “a cohesive, purpose(ful) and visionary unity” to win back the trust of the voters and to provide them with a compelling reason to turn out to vote at the next general election.
He sounded a warning against naively assuming that Malaysians would vote the same way they did in 2013.
The Opposition parties fought the 2013 General Election as Pakatan Rakyat, comprising the DAP, PKR and PAS. Differences between the DAP and PAS however led to the collapse of the coalition, and the formation of Parti Amanah Negara by breakaway PAS members.
Lim speculated that PAS would suffer a massive drop in the number of seats it held because they could no longer bank on the support of non-Malay voters.
He believed the Opposition would lose control of the Selangor state government to the Barisan Nasional and lose as many as 20 seats in the state assembly.
However, the formation of the new Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin could make a difference if the party could win a large portion of the votes that went to Umno in 2013."
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