PH-DAP ‘unsettled’ by green wave, says Tuan Ibrahim

 The PAS deputy president says reliance on fear tactics shows that its rivals are not confident of winning over voters with sound arguments.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said DAP’s claim that the Islamic party is a threat to the non-Malay community in Johor is laughable as it is only contesting 11 of the 56 seats in the state polls this Saturday.

PETALING JAYA:

Pakatan Harapan and DAP’s attempt to instil fear among non-Malay voters in Johor by harping on threats the “green wave” could bring is a sign that they are unsettled, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said.

The PAS deputy president said PH had resorted to similar strategies in the six state elections three years ago, where it labelled the Islamic party and Perikatan Nasional a menace to a multicultural society, freedom of religion, and Malaysia’s future.

“When an election campaign relies on fear, it signifies one thing: that the party (pushing such narratives) is not confident in its manifesto, track record, or ability to convince voters with rational arguments,” he said in a statement.

Tuan Ibrahim also said if DAP and PH wanted voters to reject PAS on grounds linked to policy, governance, and the economy, they should argue along such lines.

He said the call for non-Muslims to come out to vote and reject the “green wave” is often framed in a way that a PAS victory would be detrimental to the community’s lifestyle.

“What’s even more surprising is that the party that claims to reject 3R politics is more than comfortable in capitalising on race and religious anxieties when going up against PAS.”

3R refers to issues revolving around race, religion, and royalty.

Tuan Ibrahim went on to say that DAP’s claim that PAS is a threat to the non-Malay community in Johor is laughable as the Islamic party is only contesting 11 of the 56 seats in the state polls this Saturday.

PN, which PAS is a component of, is vying for 33 seats in total.

“Based on the number of seats PAS is contesting, it is absurd to give the impression that we are on the cusp of taking over the state government on our own and could change Johor’s landscape.”

Tuan Ibrahim said if a party is confident about its policies and abilities, it would not need to engage in fearmongering.

“Politics of fear may trigger temporary panic but, in the long run, it will lead to the public losing faith in the democratic process.” - FMT