Sg Besar folk, a change of gov’t not an option but a must

YOURSAY | ‘To improve is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often.’

Sungai Besar the third most marginal and unsafe seat Umno won

Kim Quek: I feel confident that the people in Sekinchan will answer the noble urging by DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang to play a historic role of spearheading Pakatan Harapan’s march to Putrajaya come GE14.

They will better their resounding 76 percent support to Pakatan in GE13 this time, despite PAS being now replaced by Parti Amanah Negara.

I am quite sure that the hardworking and enterprising dwellers in Sekinchan know exactly how this country has been wrecked by the marauding corruption as exposed by the 1MDB/Najib Abdul Razak scandals.

A change of government is not an option but a must, if Malaysia is to be saved from disaster. A defeat for BN in this traditional fortress will shake Najib’s leadership to the roots and thus trigger a series of chain reactions that may precipitate the collapse of this regime.

Towards boosting the voting power of these honest Sekinchan folks, may I humbly suggest a campaign be started towards full turn-up for voting on polling day, for which, outstation voters must make an extra effort to travel back to their constituency to perform this historic mission.

Sans Blinkers: Instead of applying his usual pitiful underdog tactic, Kit Siang should simply say to the Sungai Besar voters to please lend their crucial support to help rebuild Malaysia to become again a harmonious and respected nation.

Don't overplay on the hudud issue as this may backfire on Amanah as the constituency is a Muslim-majority area and religion is a very sensitive issue.

Don't use abstract words (to the semi-urban voters) like ‘save democracy’ (which can mean different things to different people).

The simple message should be, “help us to lessen your burdens, improve your livelihood, secure your children's future and rebuild the strong communal harmony that we used to enjoy in the past”.

EmEmKay: MCA and Gerakan are continuously harping on DAP for supporting PAS in GE12 and GE13, but everyone must remember the genuine trust that DAP placed on the Islamic party.

But after winning more seats with non-Muslim support, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has turned the table by refusing to abide by the Pakatan Rakyat’s Common Policy Framework agreed by its three component parties.

That was how a pious and religious party treated Pakatan Rakyat by not adhering to its principles. So DAP has to change its approach by rejecting PAS and start afresh with Amanah in Pakatan Harapan.

To improve is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often. Umno is just furthering its own agenda, which is to stay in power perpetually.

It wants to add PAS under its wings and later treat it like MCA, MIC and the BN components by throwing them bread crumbs.

Just a Malaysian: PAS may split votes from Umno and this may favour Amanah, which will possibly take all Chinese votes and middle-ground Malay votes.

Let’s pray we have a future in this country. The worst-case scenario for Malaysia is a Najib-Abdul Hadi Awang combo - one focuses on saving his life and the other on the great after-life. The country and rakyat have no place in between.

Ferdtan: “If Pakatan Harapan cannot win Sungai Besar in the June 18 by-election, the chances do not look good that there will be a change of government in Putrajaya in GE14,” says Lim Kit Siang.

We understand where he came from; Lim likes to play underdog in most of his campaigns. Like they say, “A week is a long time in politics”, so the next GE is still relatively far away, whatever the outcome of this by-election.

It is not necessary for Amanah to win this election as this is the first time it is contesting. Moreover, BN had never lost here.

If Amanah can get more votes than PAS, it is a victory of a sort; it shows that it is ready to take over in the new coalition.

The only hope of success, not mentioned in Lim’s piece (though reluctantly welcomed), is that Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be stumping for Amanah against BN. That will help to confuse the hardcore Umno rural voters.

FellowMalaysian: This article is a complete and immaculate summary of the political situation facing us all currently, which looks grim and dire and arising out of the greed, excesses and corrupt minds of the ruling government.

However, whether the frailties and failings of Umno and BN will translate into votes for the Pakatan Harapan's Amanah in the two up-coming by-elections is hard to predict.

As Kit Siang has admitted, it will be a miracle should Amanah’s Azhar Shukur become the winner in the Sungai Besar contest.

DAP’s Ng Suee Lim has been doing a fine job in Sekinchan, but he has to work doubly hard the next two weeks if Amanah stands any chances of winning.

A lot depends on him using his close rapport with the farmers, fishermen and traders, both Malays and Chinese, to hasten Pakatan's miracle to fruition. - Mkini