A rude awakening for Pakatan Rakyat
October 12, 2009
Defeat in Bagan Pinang is a rude wake-up call for Pakatan Rakyat, says DAP’s Lim Kit Siang.
By Clara Chooi
Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) loss in the Bagan Pinang by-election was a rude wake-up call for the coalition, indicating that it could not be overconfident of its popularity among Malaysians, said the DAP’s Lim Kit Siang.
In his blog posting today, Lim said that PR needed to be serious in addressing its internal issues if it wanted to ever become the people’s choice as a viable alternative to the Barisan Nasional and helm the Federal Government.
“The rout suffered by the PR in Bagan Pinang should destroy the myth entertained by any quarter that PR is embarked on an invincible path to victory in the next general elections, whether national or state,” he said.
He added that PR parties needed to go back to the drawing board and stop sweeping the many issues bedevilling the coalition under the carpet.
Lim admitted surprise at the BN’s stellar performance in sweeping up more than double the vote majority they had obtained in the March 8 general election last year.
Former Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad clinched the state seat in a landslide win on Sunday after he polled a whopping 8,013 votes against state PAS chief Zulkefly Omar’s 2,578, earning him a majority of 5,435.
Lim also blamed the big win on UMNO’s money politics and party propaganda.
“It was the result of gross abuses of power, money politics as well as the postal ballot chicanery,” he said.
Sunday’s polls leaves a bitter taste in the mouth for PR parties, especially since a large majority of the constituency’s Indian voters, which constitutes about 20 per cent of the total population, had backed BN.
Several PR leaders however believe that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s clever move to endorse the launching of the new Makkal Sakti party had been one of the contributing factors of the shift.
“To some extent, the whole Makkal Sakti issue did contribute. It had also created a sense of confusion among the Indians there,” said PKR vice-president R. Sivarasa.
He added that the Indian constituents were among the poorest lot in Bagan Pinang and BN’s method of handing out goodies made a big difference to them.
“To the poor, the sweeteners that were given out go a long way. These gifts are big to them and the promises made by the BN mean a lot to them,” he said.
Sivarasa also admitted that Isa himself, as the state’s former mentri besar, despite his tainted past, was a popular personality to the people of Bagan Pinang.
“They have known him for years and he has a track record with them. Plus, he can speak Tamil,” he said.
Additionally, Sivarasa said that the voters of Bagan Pinang had cast their ballots based on a very “localised” mindset.
“They did not look at the bigger picture and we cannot blame them. Unlike the other by-elections, like the one in Perak, they did not experience first-hand the BN’s abuse of power,” he said.
PAS vice-president and the party’s Bagan Pinang election director Salahuddin Ayub also agreed that the Makkal Sakti factor had helped BN’s campaign a fair bit during the polls.
“However, it is only for the time being. This is BN’s style. The problem with UMNO is that they can make all the promises but fulfilling them is another matter,” he said.
He also continued to pin some of the blame on PR’s loss on the large number of postal voters in the constituency, an issue which PAS had been harping on since the start of the by-election process.
“The lack of fairness and cleanliness in the whole postal voting process will continue to be an issue for us and we will keep fighting for it.
“It is clear that the postal votes made a large difference. UMNO swept up more than 90 per cent of the postal votes,” he said.
Salahuddin said that the PAS legal team would be deliberating on the matter over the next few days and decide whether it should file a suit against the Election Commission.
During the campaigning period, PAS had raised several issues over the postal voting process, including the existence of “double voters”, the existence of ex-servicemen in the postal voter list and discrepancies in the polling centres.
“Our legal team will be meeting on this soon and will be studying the number of police reports and reports to the commission which we made during the by-election.
“If they feel we have enough grounds, we will file the suit,” he said.
Salahuddin conceded the loss in Bagan Pinang had broken the PR’s winning streak but insisted it had not in any way killed the coalition’s spirit or strength.
“They may have won the battle but not the war,” he said.
Malaysiakini reports: “Salahuddin Ayub says Pakatan has not done enough to address the woes of the Indians while the Chinese are fed up with all the infighting in the opposition coalition”.
I would like to ask Mr. Sallehuddin to recognise that the defeat is due to PAS. Until your party deals with its internal problems, stop its romance with UMNO, and discipline people like Hassan Ali and other conservative elements, the Chinese and Indians will not trust your party and also PKR. Both these parties are playing the UMNO’s game of Malay politics. In general, we the voters are fed up with the lack of delivery in Selangor and the arrogance of your MPs and ADUNs. Wake up fast or we will throw Pakatan Rakyat out.
Proarte - October 12, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Uncle Lim,
It’s a rude awakening to you and your partner PAS, not PR. Can’t you, with your years of experience, have seen what the rift between you and PAS has caused. The the mainstream media was more than overjoyed at your squabbles with PAS. Just look at the coverage they gave it.. It makes me both sad and really sick that you both choose to have that debate just before the election, no better than two spoilt children. Frankly you need to grow up. As for pas you are only in the limelight because of your ideology.
it’s time both of you retire and should be put to pasture.There is so much that we can take. It makes us tired to see such rifts so soon after the 12th elections. The Indians and their muruku fiasco just added to the mess both of you caused. Najib must have been laughing to the poll count.
No the PR is definitely not ready to take the reigns of power. At this rate the PR will fall even further below at the 13th GE. It is doubtful that I will vote at that election.
Brian - October 12, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Yes, PKR must do something about its deteriorating situation. PKR has been delinquent when it comes to discipline. The mantra of “Pakatan does not sweep things under the carpet” under the free-for-all madness for self-flagellation needs to be seriously examined and qualified in its application. When each and every Tom, Dick and Harry can hide under this slogan and display his indiscipline, prejudices, disdain and personal ambition against the coalition’s principles and aspirations and escape scot-free from punishment and rebuke, this is a sign and precursor for the downfall of the coalition.
Let the Pakatan make doubly clear to any individual who crosses the bar of agreed principles of the coalition, no matter how high or important or indispensable that person is in the hierarchy, he should face the disciplinary committee at once and if found guilty should face the axe. Do it and people like Hassan Ali, Choo Wee Keong, Zulkifli Noordin and many trojan horses within Pakatan will think twice before they create more headaches for Pakatan. Do not wait until it will be too late to do anything about it. Do it now and immediately.
The defeat of Pakatan in Bagan Pinang is a blessing in disguise and has never come at a more opportune time because for so long some parties within Pakatan have become indoctrinated and arrogant in their invincibility and belief that no matter what the Pakatan do or will not do will not affect their popularity. For the past 8 by-elections, there were serious dissensions, mostly triggered by some little Napoleons within the Pakatan itself. The belief that the people will always support the Pakatan no matter what is growing thin and Bagan Pinang has provided a valuable lesson.
Wake up, Pakatan: a house divided against itself will not survive the cut-throat political battle in Bolehland.
vsp - October 12, 2009 at 10:36 pm
I have said earlier that I can see a day when PR will have to move on without PAS. I stick by that view. Not much point in blaming the hot heads. The fault lies at the very top of the team.
A tainted candidate against a party that sees itself as the future government. Should have been a no-contest. Instead they double their majority. That says it all for the state of PR.
Isa Manteqi - October 12, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Okay, what ever host of excuses, accusations and diatribes have been given – we come to the simple assumption that the plot (if there ever was one), has been lost.
The most glaring of course was that the south and probably the east Malaysians do not need what the the north of the Peninsular wants. RPK says that the entity called DAP+PKR+PAS=PR doesn’t work and that that formula should be ‘buried’ and from that a resurrection called PR alone can work. Meanwhile, Zaid is up to his neck trying to cobbleup something, and LKS is shooting for the ROS to formalize the ‘coalition of the willing’ despite of the fact that many are unwilling…
I doubt that any burial with/without chimerization or hybridization can work. So what say you guys?
Menyalak-er - October 12, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Making PAS the whipping boy does nothing to solve the problem.
The truth is you guys knew it was coming. You just couldn’t stop it. This by-election in Bagan Pinang could well be a dry run to other elections for UMNO if PAS does not temper its enthusiasm with self-restraint and confine comments on religious issues to rebuttals and not take the initiative from UMNO. This is always in invitation to cross a minefield.
Can PAS be relied to exercise restraint?
Mr Bean - October 12, 2009 at 11:47 pm
“I have said earlier that I can see a day when PR will have to move on without PAS. I stick by that view. Not much point in blaming the hot heads. The fault lies at the very top of the team.” Isa Manteqi
You will need PAS on board in order to travel the road to Putrajaya. This is plain to see. It is about numbers.
Mr Bean - October 12, 2009 at 11:54 pm
Totally agreed with Kit Siang on internal issues. Let’s not talk about the BN’s victory, PR should start to think how to recover the lost in BP. PR suppose to improve in reducing BN’s majority but fail to do so in BP. What makes the people of BP to vote against PR…..cuz of over doing in Campaign Banners or other issues? Everyone said that the minority Indian voters supported ISA….Why? Is it bcuz of KBP issue? If yes, who should we blame. Lets think and stop pointing.
P.Sugumaran - October 13, 2009 at 12:04 am
Nope Bean. They are ‘holier’ and ‘mightier’; and their universal values are pretty much constricted to what they can understand.
However, with bumno’s irrelevant whipping partners in be-end receiving a ‘catholic’ (read universal) extreme unction, the resident evil is at its last legs too. Their dear leaders including Octo are desperately trying to do damage control over the impending implosion of their no.2 cohabitator. In fact i think their ‘victory’ celebration was very much tempered by this news.
Talking about rude awakenings, that Khairy flur is joining up be-end’s youth with the commie youth party (cyp) of PRC. Why is that, when they disallow that old tattered dude Chin Peng from returning home to die?
Menyalak-er - October 13, 2009 at 12:07 am
Menyalak-er,
Without PAS on board, you don’t even have a ship to take you to Putrajaya! PKR and DAP together could only hope to put together a banana boat and that will not do. There is only Karpal Singh. You don’t want Karam Singh.
Mr Bean - October 13, 2009 at 2:12 am
” It is a result of gross abuses of power, money politics as well as the postal ballot chicanery “. – SAUDARA LIM KIT SIANG
Hmmm … what can i say but i am bored listening to the same whining . If the above is right , how come saudara lim , you have not used your silly brain to come up with ideas to challenge this . you keep harping on the same thing decade in decade out and hope to continue fooling people with your rhetoric?
Rupanya saudara lim punya otak dan fikiran sudah karat lah. That is why i keep saying , these oldies like lim kit siang , karpal singh , dr hassan ali , mr hadi and even tok guru should phase themselves out . they seem to only repeat what they have been saying for the last 30 to 40 years – pigs , beer , abuses of power , postal ballot chicanery , money politics , etc – but they dont seem to be able to review things afresh by seeing things beyond this ” box ” that they keep themselves in.
din , i think these old goons should be phased out and replaced with young blood. these goons are not going anywhere and neither will they be taking us any where new.
salah jangka - October 13, 2009 at 7:07 am
Salah Jangka ,
How to teach an old dog new tricks?
tean - October 13, 2009 at 8:40 am
I tend to agree with salah jangka . i think mr lim and his friends in pakatan should relook , the loss in bagan pinang with a pair of fresh eyes. Thinking from inside the same box will not help contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of why locals vote for corruption tainted candidates .
I for one dont think money politics , blatant abuse of power nor postal ballot chicanery caused this upset . It has more to do with how the locals think . PEACH ANN NACION , in her comment yesterday on this blog talked about ” realities on earth ” . I think PEACH is right . It is these ” realities ” that mr . lim and his son should be trying to figure out . It should be the same for mr sivarasa.
PARROTING THE SAME REASONS AFTER EVERY LOSS CANNOT BE THE ANSWER. IT ONLY BORES THE AUDIENCE AND MAKES THEM FORCE FURTHER LOSSES UPON THE OPPOSITION , BECAUSE OF THEIR LACK OF IMAGINATION .
I think seeking an answer to the question , why the local’s voted for a corrupt candidate would bring some good answers to the surface , which pakatan can use in any future by elections or when the country is called to go vote again in the next elections.
marissa apadurai - October 13, 2009 at 8:49 am
tean ,
do you think giving them a new bitch would help?
salah jangka - October 13, 2009 at 8:53 am
salah jangka,
I don’t know, but I think PR should be more humble and talking in simple sentences that kampung and estate people can understand.
Let me give you examples of simple sentences,
Kita semua di kampung naik kereta cabuk pun kena bayar balik bank 9 tahun. Ini sebab Umno tak bagi chance kita beli kereta murah. Kereta harga Honda Accord harga 50 ribu depa jual 150 ribu. 100 ribu lagi masuk poket kroni.
Askar askar makan ikan tamban tergeliat pasal duit kontrak semua depa dah sapu pi shopping kat Paris.
Depa mai belanja kita makan nasi bungkus satu kampung belanja 10,000 ringgit untuk 1000 orang. Geng geng menteri belanja 10,000 untuk tidok satu malam dengan bini di hotel di Dubai, London dan Paris.
Geng politik nak undi kita pasal depa nak kuda kita macam lembu. Depa bagi kita sekupang, depa satu berbillion. Kita naik kap chai tak dak brek depa naik Private jet.
Kita batuk pi klinik kena 20 ringgit, menteri sakit teluk pi check kat London,,,free…rakyat bayar.
Cakap macam itu la baru orang estet faham. Dok cakap pusing pusing, belit belit macam ular orang kampung tak reti.
Lepas itu jangan cakap saja kena offer kat rakyat apa yang PR nak buat. Contohnya Taksin menang kat Thailand pasal dia kata pi klinik bayar 3 ringgit. Gengster mana jual dadah dia tembak kepala buang laut.. Tak kita taiko ka, sapa.
Ini dok berletiak macam orang jual ubat sapa nak dengar. lain kali panggil kita pi cakap la. depa dok dengak pula.
tean - October 13, 2009 at 10:28 am
Tean, lian kali ajak hang pi cermah la. Tapi kalu hang cakap telo Kedah mapoih orang Nogeri nak erti. Lepiah hang cakap depa garu kepala la.
Tok Cik - October 13, 2009 at 10:38 am
Eh depa paham la, eden besor dengan minah kola pilah, To Cik Oii
tean - October 13, 2009 at 10:43 am
Yes Bean, PKR and Dap only have a ‘banana’ boat without their convenience – can only reach the longkang.
Similar conveyance for bumno – they have only a ‘terung’ boat that’s bound to sink without their own conveniences.
Tean, i think you hit the terung on the butt. Talk local-ese, not national-ese in issues in these local elections.
Aiyo flurs, have been telling you guys that it takes time for the old guard to stop their ‘global opposition’ thinking.
Menyalak-er - October 13, 2009 at 10:48 am
Dear All,
UMNO/BN is an old hand at politics. They have everything at their disposal. The only thing they don’t seem to have is morality. With corruption so rampant (culture like) and with the fact people with tainted background winning the by-election speaks volume about the weakness of the Opposition at crucial times. The PR can only perform in their homeground. Once in enemy territory they flounder and falter like ‘rusa masuk kampung’. This loss is a Classic example of our ‘Jaguh Kampung’. The fact of the matter is very clear.
BN is getting the smarter of the two whilst the PR people can’t even put their act together. With BN phenomenal resources and media monopoly you surely need hard thinking and come up with workable strategies. Time is short. Your leadership must be strong, smart, fast in affecting changes and really must work what you fight for. Enough with your rhetorics and mere fiery speeches. Give the people substance. PR pun BOLEH.
Ikon - October 13, 2009 at 12:23 pm
tean ,
the last few days you have not mentioned maria ozawa . so i guess she should be free to go talk to the local folks using the universally used language . MESTI DAPAT UNDI PUNYA .
apa kata tean ?
salah jangka - October 13, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Salah jangka,
Actually when I mentioned her, the purpose is just to make Din Merican, Bean, Tok Chik and Menyalak-er stay awake. Moreover, I think she is more trustworthy than most of our politicians.
tean - October 13, 2009 at 2:11 pm
tean,
Mentang-mentang kami ni warga mas hang ingat kami tidok kah? Kami ni dok jaga selalu, hang tau? Kalau kena teh tarik dan pasemboq Balik Pulau tebeliak bijik mata. Tak payah Maria Ozawa atau Mas Idayu.
Tok Cik - October 13, 2009 at 3:51 pm
“Tean, lian kali ajak hang pi cermah la. Tapi kalu hang cakap telo Kedah mapoih orang Nogeri nak erti. Lepiah hang cakap depa garu kepala la.” Tok CIk
Kepala mana yang depa garu??
Mr Bean - October 13, 2009 at 5:38 pm
“Actually when I mentioned her, the purpose is just to make Din Merican, Bean, Tok Chik and Menyalak-er stay awake.” tean
You have to drop our Din Merican from the list of sleepy heads. He has help in remaining awake. Talk about a level sleeping field. Medication makes me very sleepy and I would fall asleep behind the wheel anytime. Even being on top of any English teacher wouldn’t help keep me awake! Not that it has never happened to me before!
Mr Bean - October 13, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Tak betul ka !!!bila sebut saja nama keramat tu semua orang pakat tumpang sekaki…panjang berjela..orang kedah kata tumpang sekole.
Kalau Dr. Kam tau la! Dia cabut semua gigi. Yang mana dah tak dak gigi tak tau pula la..apa nak cabut.
tean - October 13, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Cabut saja, tean! Rendam lama lama nanti reput.
Mr Bean - October 14, 2009 at 8:27 am
As I have mentioned before that there will come a day when Anwar (PR) has to deal with its weakest link, PAS.
Having said that,PR should handle this recent defeat of PAS as a wake up call to seriously pay heed to the incessant ringing of all the warning bells to get its act together for the honeymoon period has already ended a year ago !
If the leaders in PR are wise enough, there is indeed a lesson to be learnt ,that at a time of economic uncertainty, the rakyat are more concerned with putting food on their table, roof over their heads and security of their livelihood . They are more anxious to get out of the hell on earth now than to get into the pearly gates of heaven later.
PAS will only be a boon to the PR cause, to secure the Malay votes to Putrajaya and not the bane, if it can shed its “holier than thou” stance, lest PAS is ignorant of the fact that its attitude is sending shivers down the spines of the expanded Malay religious moderates, never mind the non- Malays !
Is it that difficult to imagine why the “corrupt” candidate wins ?
It all boils down to public perception, isn’t it , like the way Anwar won his seat in Permatang Pauh.
ocho-onda - October 15, 2009 at 12:48 am