Gerakan's victory in Teluk Intan is actually a victory for Umno, said Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.
"Gerakan is inconsequential, and can claim that their president has won, but on their own, they are virtually ineffective," Anwar said when met at his daughter's wedding reception in Permatang Pauh.
"So it is basically Umno and (the) entire federal government versus Pakatan.”
Anwar (left, in white)said BN and Umno used the race card when campaigning to the Malays by saying that DAP is very aggressive and dangerous, in order to garner votes for themselves in this by-election.
He added that all the Malay extremist groups were on the ground to do just that.
"Unfortunately the Chinese community were not aware of the extent of the racism being played (out).”
Anwar said Pakatan Rakyat's rivals gave the perception that DAP often asserts pressure in Pakatan and this shows that the Malays are weak.
"But we say the Chinese candidate in Gerakan is under Umno's thumb, he will submit to Umno. The Malay candidate in DAP, on the other had, will be more assertive.
"Notwithstanding all this, we will have to work hard and work more especially in rural heartland," he said.
Gerakan's Mah Siew Keong won with a razor thin majority of 238 majority votes over DAP's Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud in the Teluk Intan by-election yesterday.
'Inconsiderate and arrogant'
On his remark that Chinese are stupid if they continue to vote BN, Anwar explained the context in which he made the statement.
"We have never seen in history how Umno leaders have been so inconsiderate and arrogant in casting aspersions and making absurd allegations against any minority community especially the Chinese," he said.
"MCA and Gerakan has no ability and courage to stand up against Umno, so certainly it is absurd or stupid to assume that the Chinese will still support BN," he added.
"I was right because still a vast number of Chinese still support Pakatan and DAP," he asserted.
Anwar also attributed DAP's loss in Teluk Intan to the poor turnout yesterday, which is 67.4 percent, a drop from 80 percent in the May 5 general election last year.
He recalled that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (left) has said that a 70 percent voter turn-out was necessary for a chance for the party to retain the seat.
Low turnout had plagued Pakatan in several by-elections like Sungai Limau, Kajang, Bukit Gelugor and now Teluk Intan.
"This trend is quite disconcerting, it will affect our performance. Some voters are overconfident since they think this election doesn't make a difference in the state or federal government unlike a general election," Anwar explained.
Malay support maintained
He pointed out that despite the DAP's loss, the party had maintained its Malay support, although smaller in percentage. However support from Chinese and Indians had decreased.
This, Anwar attributed to the manner in which the campaign was conducted in Teluk Intan.
"BN and Umno blatantly demonise and create fear among voters and apparently nothing has changed," Anwar said.
"Umno displayed arrogance and racism as well as insulted, abused and launched personal attacks against the candidate," he added.
"All our efforts to counter did not reach the rural heartland. We have been doing it but it’s not easy to get premises for ceramah while the locals are glued to mainstream media like TV3 and RTM1 and RTM2," he stressed.
And these are the areas where BN and Umno most focused their campaign, he pointed out.
Anwar said that to any decent observer, the democratic process is flawed when the opposition does not have excess to the media.
He said the system will continue to persist even in the GE14 which will be called by 2018.
However he conceded Pakatan also had to work harder to diffuse its internal disputes.
These problems included DAP and PAS disagreeing on the implementation of hudud law in Kelantan and PKR's internal polls which have been tarnished by alleged fraud and violence.
On the crisis in the PKR polls, Anwar said he was calling a meeting among PKR leaders tomorrow night to discuss the matter.
"Failure to address this or explain these issues will affect the voters," he said.
Anwar also conceded that Mah (left) being promised a minister post in the cabinet and the perception that he would be able fulfill promises made by the BN, was a factor in the former deputy minister's victory.
Anwar also blamed the Election Commission for being blind to the many alleged irregularities in the by-election.
He cited the example of an Umno man walking into a polling centre wearing BN's logo and the "blatant use of money" to entice the voters like promises of development.
"No doubt there was a high turnout at the DAP's final ceramah on Friday, but these are mostly urban or semi-urban voters. However BN played with the sentiments of the rural folk from all communities," he added.
"Gerakan is inconsequential, and can claim that their president has won, but on their own, they are virtually ineffective," Anwar said when met at his daughter's wedding reception in Permatang Pauh.
"So it is basically Umno and (the) entire federal government versus Pakatan.”Anwar (left, in white)said BN and Umno used the race card when campaigning to the Malays by saying that DAP is very aggressive and dangerous, in order to garner votes for themselves in this by-election.
He added that all the Malay extremist groups were on the ground to do just that.
"Unfortunately the Chinese community were not aware of the extent of the racism being played (out).”
Anwar said Pakatan Rakyat's rivals gave the perception that DAP often asserts pressure in Pakatan and this shows that the Malays are weak.
"But we say the Chinese candidate in Gerakan is under Umno's thumb, he will submit to Umno. The Malay candidate in DAP, on the other had, will be more assertive.
"Notwithstanding all this, we will have to work hard and work more especially in rural heartland," he said.
Gerakan's Mah Siew Keong won with a razor thin majority of 238 majority votes over DAP's Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud in the Teluk Intan by-election yesterday.
'Inconsiderate and arrogant'
On his remark that Chinese are stupid if they continue to vote BN, Anwar explained the context in which he made the statement.
"We have never seen in history how Umno leaders have been so inconsiderate and arrogant in casting aspersions and making absurd allegations against any minority community especially the Chinese," he said.
"MCA and Gerakan has no ability and courage to stand up against Umno, so certainly it is absurd or stupid to assume that the Chinese will still support BN," he added.
"I was right because still a vast number of Chinese still support Pakatan and DAP," he asserted.Anwar also attributed DAP's loss in Teluk Intan to the poor turnout yesterday, which is 67.4 percent, a drop from 80 percent in the May 5 general election last year.
He recalled that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (left) has said that a 70 percent voter turn-out was necessary for a chance for the party to retain the seat.
Low turnout had plagued Pakatan in several by-elections like Sungai Limau, Kajang, Bukit Gelugor and now Teluk Intan.
"This trend is quite disconcerting, it will affect our performance. Some voters are overconfident since they think this election doesn't make a difference in the state or federal government unlike a general election," Anwar explained.
Malay support maintained
He pointed out that despite the DAP's loss, the party had maintained its Malay support, although smaller in percentage. However support from Chinese and Indians had decreased.
This, Anwar attributed to the manner in which the campaign was conducted in Teluk Intan.
"BN and Umno blatantly demonise and create fear among voters and apparently nothing has changed," Anwar said."Umno displayed arrogance and racism as well as insulted, abused and launched personal attacks against the candidate," he added.
"All our efforts to counter did not reach the rural heartland. We have been doing it but it’s not easy to get premises for ceramah while the locals are glued to mainstream media like TV3 and RTM1 and RTM2," he stressed.
And these are the areas where BN and Umno most focused their campaign, he pointed out.
Anwar said that to any decent observer, the democratic process is flawed when the opposition does not have excess to the media.
He said the system will continue to persist even in the GE14 which will be called by 2018.
However he conceded Pakatan also had to work harder to diffuse its internal disputes.
These problems included DAP and PAS disagreeing on the implementation of hudud law in Kelantan and PKR's internal polls which have been tarnished by alleged fraud and violence.
On the crisis in the PKR polls, Anwar said he was calling a meeting among PKR leaders tomorrow night to discuss the matter.
"Failure to address this or explain these issues will affect the voters," he said.Anwar also conceded that Mah (left) being promised a minister post in the cabinet and the perception that he would be able fulfill promises made by the BN, was a factor in the former deputy minister's victory.
Anwar also blamed the Election Commission for being blind to the many alleged irregularities in the by-election.
He cited the example of an Umno man walking into a polling centre wearing BN's logo and the "blatant use of money" to entice the voters like promises of development.
"No doubt there was a high turnout at the DAP's final ceramah on Friday, but these are mostly urban or semi-urban voters. However BN played with the sentiments of the rural folk from all communities," he added.
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