YOURSAY | Harapan’s dilemma in facing GE15

YOURSAY | ‘What future does this country hold if ‘bumiputeraism’ dominates?’

COMMENT | If Najib returns, it will be because of Harapan’s incompetence

Cure For Stupidity: When Pakatan Harapan was elected to be the government, it was a new unchartered political territory. It has never happened before. Many who used to be in the opposition were put on the pedestal, and there were mistakes said and done.

In addition, a group of political parties were pulled together even though their ideologies were very different with only one main issue in agreement - to end BN rule due to the 1MDB scandal and worsening corruption.

The voters gave them the mandate, but Umno was quick to stir the political pots and created divisions by using their PR capabilities.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad and a significant number of Harapan leaders and MPs were influenced and probably accepted benefits to topple the 22-month-old Harapan government.

Right-minded people would know how difficult it is for a 22-month-old government to change a 60-year-old political culture.

It would have taken Harapan at least one term or more in government to implement its manifesto. Unfortunately, the old political culture and the civil servants get in the way.

Much were made to make Harapan looks bad and good achievements were hardly highlighted even though there were quite a number.

However, what passed has passed. We will be facing the next election very soon. Again, the same decisive question is this - will the people vote for the parties that damage the country?

Considering the many incapable MPs who switched from Harapan to the ruling coalition now running the country, and the big geopolitical and economic issues Malaysia is currently confronting, which government do we, Malaysians, want?

Both sides of the political divide have issues. However, if I have to vote, I will vote for the party that has done the least damage to our country.

GreyPanda9123: Columnist S Thayaparan, of course, it will be Harapan's incompetence if former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak returns to power.

The DAP is doing okay as their base is still strong. PKR, however, needs a total revamp and the hope lies with party’s vice-president Rafizi Ramli. He is the leader who can draw the rakyat to Harapan.

Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is a worker, and as he said himself, he is just the messenger for PKR/Harapan. PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, of course, is a washout. His past is too tainted, and rural Malays will probably not trust him again.

The Realist: For me, it is fair to say that it is the inexperience of DAP and Amanah and the mess that PKR created in trying to make Anwar the prime minister that caused the downfall of Harapan.

PKR has continued to implode internally and the true intention of the old guard in PKR has given the people no incentive to vote for them.

The race-and-religion baiters in PKR are surfacing and the fact that they want to work with ‘frogs’ and traitors in an effort to gain power leaves a bad taste in the voters’ mouths.

Nurul Izzah Anwar and Rafizi working to chart a new course for PKR in gaining support from the younger generation is a move in the right direction.

The time of Anwar and the old guard is over, and their clinging on to make themselves relevant will only drag PKR further down the slope.

Harapan supporters can accept the fact that the 15th general election may not result in victory, but it is how they regroup and pursue their vision for Malaysia which will determine their future.

The current leadership claimed by PKR is nothing more than making Anwar the prime minister is not going to energise the voters to support them.

Their do-or-die attempt to go solo with their own logo in the Johor state election is an indication of the rot in PKR which Rafizi and Nurul Izzah can see.

In doing so, they lose the support of the multiracial base as well as the confidence of the voters as they are seen to be no different to the incumbents.

Milshah: Harapan has weak strategy and leadership. Look at the recent state elections. What was the strategy they used? They fought about logo and accepted Umno ‘frogs’.

When many said it was the wrong move, the top leadership stubbornly persisted with the strategy. And when they got zero seats, they move on as if nothing has happened.

Then there was the Budget vote, the ‘convincing, formidable and strong’ episode and many more. Failure after failure after failure. It’s a foregone conclusion that Harapan will lose GE15. I will not vote for Harapan this time around.

GoldenPigeon0510: Yes, we need a better opposition leader. The current lot of leaders are not able to overcome all the disinformation and strategies of the kleptocrats.

I’m not holding my breath for GE15. We need a miracle to replace this incompetent self-serving team.

EagleBaby05: Umno was a benevolent party of mainly very humble teachers and ordinary citizens who rode bicycles. Then came the group whose only intention was to become rich.

After that came Mahathir. He broke every rule that is considered the norm in democracy. He allowed political parties to dabble in business - this was the death knell of democracy in Malaysia.

This is the main reason for the situation we are in today. In this country now, cash is indeed king.

Just A Malaysian: The whole country started on the wrong footing. The New Economic Policy, which began as a noble cause, morphed into a monster that defined the entire nation’s psyche and narratives.

With such a warped negative ideology, this country cannot go far in spite of all our natural and human resources.

Harapan, PN or BN cannot escape this racial and religious narrative. BN and PN are beating the drums of more ‘bumiputeraism’ while Harapan is trying to find a delicate balance. It was a very tough act for Harapan, which ended up making both sides unhappy.

What future does this country hold if ‘bumiputeraism’ dominates? As global political and economic competition heats up, our nation will be tossed into the sea of volatility which is already happening now.

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