YOURSAY | Rakyat may not vote at all, let alone for Harapan again

YOURSAY | 'Anwar lost more support over Najib's sentence cut than he gained from Najib's followers.'

Najib's reduced sentence: 'Harapan will pay the price in GE16'

IndigoTrout2522: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and all the parties in Pakatan Harapan have miscalculated and underestimated those who voted for them.

At the next general election, they may not vote for Perikatan Nasional as they might simply opt to not vote at all.

Yes, PN may form the government but these voters are so disappointed (in the decision to reduce ex-PM Najib Abdul Razak’s sentence) that they rather take a chance no matter how bad the outcome might be.

When that happens, DAP will go down the path of MCA and Gerakan. Don’t forget they were once mighty.

Also, don’t forget the most popular leader during World War II, Sir Winston Churchill lost the election after the war.

All Harapan leaders, especially those from DAP, should remember that once you lose support now, it will be almost impossible to regain it.

Vijay47: Harapan will pay the price in GE16? Wrong!

Harapan will pay the price in any forthcoming elections, be they for state or Parliament seats; the voters are dying to show their disgust not only to Harapan but especially to DAP and their master Anwar.

I will never again vote for Harapan, PKR, or DAP. Heck, I might never again vote! And if Muslim fanatics come into power, who cares?

Things can’t get any worse. I’ve had enough betrayals at every count by that shameless hypocrite.

I am sick and tired of that old Madani mantra “We need Anwar. If not, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang will govern”. So what?

Milshah: Harapan will pay the price if the 16th general election is held today, as people are angry and emotional.

But the next general election is four years away, so anything could happen. I do not expect Harapan to just lie down until then.

They will do something to get back the votes. Harapan supporters too are spooked by the prospect of PAS-Bersatu ruling the country.

They may still vote for Harapan, but grudgingly.

Meerkat: I'm almost certain that Anwar would have acted differently if the situation was different.

But there is no such thing as an ideal situation. In fact, "less than ideal" doesn't even start to describe the current situation.

It's easy to be critical from the sidelines. Who hasn't shouted "bodoh" (stupid) at the star footballer who made a mistake on the field?

But could we do better under the circumstances? Do we want to bring in the likes of PAS, with their greater burden on the rakyat, just because of this incident?

By all means, advocate the impropriety of the partial pardon, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

Threatening to vote against Harapan for this incident is exactly what PAS hopes for, but have we forgotten what it was like when PAS was in the government under PN?

Apanama is back: PN is very, very quiet in this matter. Yes, PAS benefits the most from any fiasco by the government, who seem to like to score their own goals, again and again.

Just look back at how many goals were scored in the last 15 months. Mudah lupa? (Easy to forget?) Like it or not, more scoring of own goals is on the way. Stay tuned.

Whether one is going to vote or not in four years is one matter. Whether PAS will win or not is another matter.

What matters for the next four years is whether the government will stop scoring their own goal in the name of pandering.

Man on the Silver Mountain: Najib is a liability. Times have changed. He is not as revered as he used to be.

Due to the long trial, the Malays have accepted that he is guilty of everything he has been accused of.

The only people who still support him are from Pekan and perhaps a handful of hardcore supporters. The majority have gone to PAS.

Harapan should woo the middle ground, they still can be salvaged.

The Pardons Board’s decision dampens that possibility or at least makes it more difficult. Umno’s strength is overrated. The remnant supporters are with specific leaders.

Once they are gone, Umno needs to transform, to be attractive again.

The party by itself had lost its magic long ago. Harapan should move with time. Look at former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

People move on. Support is not static nor is sentiment. It has to be taken in context together with time and change.

YellowKancil0051: Anwar needed all the political capital he could get for reforms. Najib's partial pardon was a huge miscalculation on his part. Umno cannot pull off a more effective sabotage.

Umno supreme council members Lokman Noor Adam and Ahmad Maslan came out to link Anwar to the Pardons Board’s decision almost as soon as it was announced.

Anwar is being played like a fiddle. Anwar lost more support with this move than he gained from Najib's followers.

Mario T: Despite my abhorrence towards Anwar for not being firm and not exercising his rights to have prevented a reduction of Najib’s jail term, he remains the better choice to lead the government.

The coalition parties each have their ideologies but, for the sake of national interests, have decided to work together.

On the other hand, the opposition, with PAS remaining in the forefront, can drive the country into overdrive with religious and racial agendas if given a chance to rule.

Anwar's unity government may have lost some support in the aftermath of the decision on Najib, but we still have to allow them to continue to bring the much-needed reforms for our wellbeing.

GrayEagle1207: Take heart, Malaysians. Karma will always come back to collect its debt, whether it's in this life or the next.

The fight against corruption and malicious governance is a long, strenuous, tiresome, demanding and painful road.

As long as we continue to stand together for the common good, we will see change if we are lucky, or at least our children will see it.

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