LOOK WHO'S TALKING: Opposition becoming more desperate, trying to distort all facts

KUALA LUMPUR -- While the country awaits eagerly for the dissolution of Parliament and the 13th general election, the opposition pact is becoming more desperate to influence the people to the extent of distorting all facts.

Starting with the allegation that the concept of 1Malaysia was copied from the Israeli government's concept of One Israel, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had recently claimed that Malaysia was on the edge of bankruptcy and had caused the people to suffer and be neglected.

However, his claim was rapped by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who explained that the country still had various sources of income.

Through the distortion-of-fact strategy, the opposition pact had continued to create negative public perception of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government's efforts to help the people.

Political analyst Assoc Prof Datuk Zainal Abidin Borhan said the concept of reverse logic practiced by the opposition parties reflected their recklessness in creating cliche.

"People need to understand the true nature of the opposition parties, they are very smart in manipulating or altering something logical to illogical to confuse the people," he said.

Zainal Abidin said the opposition was also willing to play psychological games and make misleading statements to influence the fence-sitters.

"Recipients of the BR1M (1Malaysia People's Aid), for example, was likened by Nik Aziz (PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat) as animals... this is a psychological game played by him to make people regret taking the aid.

"Whereas, it was him who once told the people that 'if given clothes or money or whatever, take it, but when you vote, vote for the moon (PAS)'," said Zainal Abidin who also reminded the people to be wise and not to put their sole trust on the opposition pact.

Nik Aziz, during his recent talk at the Kota Baharu Stadium in Kelantan upon returning from Saudi Arabia, strongly criticised the BR1M payout and other aids given by the federal government. He also likened the BR1M payout as giving coconut dregs and husks to chicken and cattle.

Meanwhile, Head of Political, Security and International Affairs Cluster of the National Council of Professors, Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Mustafa Ishak said the opposition should not distort the facts on the BR1M payout for the sake of getting the people's support.

He said this was because the concept of BR1M and 1Malaysia Book Voucher was tantamount to the principle of a welfare state bandied about by the opposition.

"They also promised to have a welfare state and to abolish tolls, so what's the difference? BN government is also helping the people and those in need," he said, adding that Nik Aziz's statement was indeed an insult to the people, especially to the low income group.

Kulim-Bandar Baharu member of Parliament Zulkifli Noordin, on the other hand, said Nik Aziz had also given cash to people during the Galas state by-election in Kelantan.

"If the recipients of BR1M payout are chicken and cattle, then what should we call those who took the money from Nik Aziz?

"This is all Nik Aziz'z political flip-flops. If he does it, it's halal and Islamic, but if someone else does it, it's haram and against the syariah law," he said in his latest blog post titled 'Animal Politics' in zul4kulim.blogspot.com.

Meanwhile, Associate Professor of Political Science at Universiti Sains Malaysia's School of Distant Education (SDE), Dr Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid said the people need to be more intelligent and mature enough to assess the political standard displayed by the opposition.

He said this was because the way the opposition manipulated an issue actually revealed their intention to hide their weaknesses and disadvantages.

Therefore, he said the government should not pay attention, let alone to be trapped in the opposition's political agenda.

-- BERNAMA