Ge15 May The Least Despised Coalition Win

---

 



Let’s cut to the chase. Given how wary and weary Malaysians have become of our politicians who seem to be disconnected from our daily ups and downs, none of them actually deserve our votes.
However, Malaysians will go to the polls again before July 2023 next year to decide who will helm Putrajaya, who would later make decisions for the populace for another five years.
But the reality is, all three coalitions – BN, Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan - had failed us.
Harapan, which was given the mandate to administer the country in 2018, had left many of its supporters bewildered and disenchanted after reneging on key parts of its election manifesto.
Of course, many of us could put the blame on former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his then-party Bersatu for stalling reforms but one must also remember how several PKR and DAP leaders pandered to the nonagenarian’s whims and fancies.
Remember when Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Ronnie Liu wrote a column to criticise Mahathir for going back to his old ways? While Liu was rightfully pointing out many of the people’s frustrations, he was taken to task by many Harapan leaders for “rocking the boat”.
And even when Mahathir was already making moves to undermine his coalition, many Harapan leaders turned “deaf, mute and blind” over his insidious manoeuvrings which resulted in the coalition being ousted from power in February 2020, via the Sheraton Move.
Former prime minister Dr Mahathir MohamadYes, Mahathir did not join Bersatu in forming a new coalition called PN, with Umno as its partner. However, one must be reminded that the reason he did not join the treachery was that he refused to work with Umno in toto but was receptive to defectors from the party.
As for PN, it was a coalition “born out of treachery”. Its head honcho party Bersatu decided to stab Harapan in the back so that its man can get the top job.
Muhyiddin, a failed PM
It became obvious soon enough that PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin was quite a dud as prime minister.
While he managed to bring the nation together during the first Covid-19 lockdown, he fumbled big time later in the second lockdown – so much so that former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak aptly called him “Father of Malaysian Lockdown”.
The populace struggled a lot back then. It was so bad that the White Flag movement started, where those in need of help would fly a white flag outside their homes so those who can afford it would come to their assistance.
How did Muhyiddin respond to the movement? The Pagoh MP just said that there was no need to fly a white flag, just fly a blue flag (PN flag).
And in an attempt to shy away from debating the Emergency Ordinances, Muhyiddin and his “spokesperson” Takiyuddin Hassan tried to mislead the Parliament.
PN chairperson Muhyiddin YassinThe attempt was admonished by many, including Istana Negara, which resulted in several Umno MPs withdrawing support from Muhyiddin, which resulted in Ismail Sabri Yaakob succeeding him.
And didn’t Mahathir himself warn Bersatu leaders never to work with Umno as a whole? Well, Muhyiddin definitely learnt his lesson the hard way.
As for BN, I think everyone knows about them and their head honcho party, Umno.
It is sufficient to say that usually after losing power or authority, one would do some reflecting on what went wrong and how to become better - and endear themselves to the voters.
But in Umno’s case, it’s a different case altogether. After losing power and much support, they have become more detached from reality.
And Najib’s incarceration has shown everyone what Umno is all about - a power-hungry party that has little respect for the separation of power, which is a fundamental aspect of a functioning democracy.
Vote for ‘third bloc’
In my humble view, with the anti-hopping law in place, perhaps voters should consider voting for anyone but Harapan, PN and BN.
Why can’t we try something different by voting for those from PSM, Gerak or even independent candidates?
Of course, we must first get them to declare what is their position on issues of national interest and their plans for their constituents and country.
With several analysts believing that none of the coalitions will get a decisive win, why not elect at least 10 MPs from the “third bloc” and allow them to become kingmakers?
If these 10 lawmakers are smart enough, they can use their “bargaining chip” to force the coalition which needs their support to make the necessary reforms needed in the country.
And who knows, maybe voting in independents and those not aligned to any of the established coalitions could be the catalyst in reforming Malaysia’s decaying institutions.
G VINOD is a member of Malaysiakini team.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

---