Arul: Fight elections under one Pakatan symbol

PSM man says opposition alliance should be serious about being an alternative to Barisan Nasional.

PETALING JAYA: Parties in Pakatan Harapan were urged today to follow the lead of Barisan Nasional in using only one symbol for contesting in any general election.

A common symbol would help prevent multi-cornered contests as in the Sarawak state elections, said S.Arutchelvan, a central committee member and former former secretary-general of Parti Socialis Malaysia.

The DAP and PKR, both partners in Pakatan Harapan, contested using their own party logos and also faced off against each other in six seats.

Arul told FMT today: “Every political party has its logo and if the opposition are serious about being an alternative to BN then they need to register for one logo.”

He noted that there had been no serious attempt to solve the problem.

“This shows that they do not have a serious common ground. It just goes to show that they are a loose alliance,” he said. “They call themselves Pakatan Harapan, but why do they contest in overlapping seats? How can an alliance that sets out to be giving hope  break up instead?” he said.

Another opposition activist, Fahmi Zainol of PKR’s youth wing, Angkatan Muda Keadilan, said the Sarawak results provided solid proof that Pakatan Harapan and other opposition blocs must come together to fight Umno-BN one on one.

“Do not be so arrogant and selfish. If there is a repeat of overlapping seats come the 14th general election, I am sure that many of the youth will not hesitate to not vote as they would be fed up with both sides (BN and the opposition).

“For the top leaders of the party, do not be too presumptuous that change is their own absolute right and indirectly put aside the hopes of the people as a whole,” he told FMT.

At the Sarawak elections yesterday, Barisan Nasional led by Adenan Satem retained power with 72 seats in the 82-seat state assembly. The DAP were returned in seven of the 31 seats it contested, losing in five seats won in 2011. PKR retained three seats, out of the 41 contested. PAS and Amanah lost all their contests.