Tawfiq Yaakub and Azmi Hassan believe that former Bersatu leader Mahathir Rais’s claim that the opposition lacks direction and has abandoned its founding principles should serve as a final warning for the coalition’s leadership to take seriously.
Tawfiq, from Universiti Malaya, argued that Mahathir’s criticism, particularly regarding efforts to topple the current administration even before GE16, demonstrates PN and Bersatu’s lack of clear principles, which in turn disrupts economic recovery and political stability.
He said PN and Bersatu should function as an effective opposition by presenting alternative policies for the people’s welfare. Instead, they have chosen to exploit political turmoil to maintain their popularity.
He cited the support of PN leaders,- including Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin and PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, for former prime minister Najib Razak in the controversy over the royal decree on his house arrest during a rally in Putrajaya on Jan 6.
“Bersatu lacks solid strength and merely relies on the strength of PAS supporters, former Umno members, and disgruntled Umno leaders,” Tawfiq told FMT.
“They are still playing politics and obsessed with power after failing to form a government following the last general election (GE15) in November 2022, without demonstrating any significant benefits they can offer the people, especially the Malays.
“Until now, there has been no high-impact outcome from their much-touted collaboration through SG4, involving four state governments. There should have been at least some short- or long-term effects by now, but it all remains unclear.”
SG4 refers to a coalition formed by the Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis governments in September last year to share wealth and distribute resources fairly among them.
Last Friday, Mahathir claimed he left Bersatu on Jan 11 because the party was dominated by individuals prioritising personal agendas over its founding principles.
The former Segambut Bersatu chief was reported by Sinar Harian as alleging that several ex-Umno members within the party remain loyal to Najib and are working to undermine Bersatu’s core values.
Mahathir questioned PN’s lack of a clear direction in governing Putrajaya, warning that this posed a danger to the country and that the coalition would not last long if elected.
He also criticised PN’s continuous attempts to seize power before GE16 or through the back door, saying such actions have led to public apathy over ongoing political turmoil.
PN’s loss of direction
Tawfiq said PN’s actions indicate that the coalition is experiencing directional drift as it is running out of ideas and fading in identity – forcing it to capitalise on issues involving external political figures and the strength of other parties to remain relevant.
“Such a party or coalition will not last. We’ve seen this before – many political alliances appeared strong in name but eventually collapsed due to personal interests, such as Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah and Gagasan Rakyat in the 1990s,” he said.
Azmi, from Akademi Nusantara, said the opposition should have done more to position itself as a viable alternative to the unity government but failed, likely due to Bersatu’s internal leadership crisis.
“Bersatu must resolve its leadership issues and define its party direction if it hopes to compete with PAS, which is far ahead in terms of parliamentary seats.
“If internal problems remain unresolved, it will be difficult for Bersatu to compete with PAS, let alone help PN challenge Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional.
“So far, Bersatu and PAS have been more focused on backdoor manoeuvering to topple the government rather than offering constructive policy alternatives,” he said. - FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.