Harapan without Mahathir

QUESTION TIME | It’s not so bad really.

Does Pakatan Harapan actually need former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad to have a chance of winning GE14 and in the process throw overboard much of what it stands for and what attracted many Malaysians to it in the first place?

In last week’s column, I raised the issue of whether Mahathir can be trusted with his presence in the opposition coalition and how he could become kingmaker if indeed Harapan does well in the coalition, a rather undesirable state for the opposition to be in.

But what is the alternative, some have asked? How can the current regime be got rid of if you don’t take help from wherever you get it, including Mahathir? What choice is there with PAS moving out of the coalition? What can Harapan do?

Below is a list some of the things that Harapan could have done from 2008, when in its previous reincarnation as Pakatan Rakyat it became a major force in Malaysian politics taking five states at GE13 and denying BN a two-thirds majority.

Some of these may be too late for GE14 but will serve it well in future GEs.

1. Stick to its ideals

This is paramount. Pakatan was formed to create a coalition which will remain honest, be competent and take care of the interests of all Malaysians, irrespective of race, religion and background - a true alternative BN, which was its original name, Barisan Alternatif. It has to scrupulously adhere to that founding philosophy by avoiding taking in tainted people who have a track record of doing the exact opposite. If it does, it will lose its soul.

I remember talking informally to one Harapan official not long after GE13 in May 2013. We need money, he said, especially in the rural areas to make them vote for the opposition. Really? How come you did not need money in the urban areas? And can you really raise more money than what the incumbents can? And is it right to indulge in money politics when you are swearing to get rid of it?

Not only is sticking to ideals and principles the right thing to do, it is the most practical thing to win support when your resources are rather limited - appeal to the good senses of the people to vote you in because you will do right by them and bring them benefits they desire.

2. Be clear about messaging

If you are clear about being good, honest, clean and competent, show that you are through word, deed and action. Tell us, the Malaysian public, what you will do to fulfil our aspirations in simple, understandable terms and what you will do to bring the various communities together in a way that is just and equitable to all of us. Assure us you will have the moral courage to be able to do this despite extreme elements in all sections of our communities.

Tell us in clear terms why you think the current regime has to go and just as importantly, what you will do differently in some detail so that we have some assurance that you will not become some version, even if watered down somewhat, of those who hold the reins of power now and misuse it all the time.

3. Find a way to work with PAS

Yes, we know PAS has its extreme ways. Agree to disagree but find common ground. Doesn’t PAS want a clean, honest and competent government? Is there not a way that it can moderate some religious differences? And since PAS’ stance is non-racist, surely there can be room to come up with a comprehensive common development programme.

This is admittedly difficult and too much water may just have flown under the bridge for some kind of an amicable arrangement to be reached. But it is still worthwhile trying, for PAS is the only party in the opposition now which has the capacity and capability of reaching out to the Malay heartland states of Kelantan, Kedah, Terengganu and Perlis, while it still has a following where Malays are dominant in the other states.

Getting PAS back in will do many times more than having Mahathir in the coalition.

4. Extend reach to rural areas in the peninsula

If the opposition can make major inroads into the rural areas where Umno is strong, there is a strong possibility of victory. But this does not seem to have been done despite the rather tenuous position of PAS in the coalition. It would seem like PKR could have done much more in this area but it has not.

This is where the messaging comes in. How do you explain to rural folk the enormity of the crime that is 1MDB and how all sections of the ruling coalition have implicitly and explicitly supported the alleged stealing of billions of ringgit, effectively from the rakyat? Harapan should learn a thing or two from Mahathir about messaging and convey it repeatedly to the ordinary folk to make sure that it sticks.

5. Reach out to Sabah and Sarawak

Not for nothing are these eastern Malaysian states known as fixed deposits for BN, consistently giving the ruling coalition a huge bank of parliamentary and state seats and making it difficult to dislodge BN even if they did badly in Peninsular Malaysia. It was paradoxically Mahathir who broke the opposition’s back here by introducing foreign voters in the hundreds of thousand into Sabah while supporting the extremely corrupt leadership in Sarawak.

If Harapan is able to respond positively to the true aspirations of Sabahans and Sarawakians in terms of a fair share of development, freedom from extreme religion, sticking to the Malaysia declarations and autonomy, they may well be able to get support here, especially if this is done via indigenous political parties instead of imports from the Peninsular.

But little has been done in this respect, with the sweeping suggestion that you can’t do much - there is no attempt to break those fixed deposits. Surely Sabahans and Sarawakians aspire to a better life as well which can be obtained by a clean, competent government.

6. Show that you can rule

Sure, opposition rule has been generally better for most states but if there was even less corruption and even more competence, much more could have been done. How much has been done in the last eight years and could a lot more have been done? There has to be a critical assessment of this if only because the previous administrations have been a lot poorer and of unacceptable standard in many instances.

I am not so stupid as to think that these measures are easy to do and that they have not been tried in one form or another before. But in the heat of the battle and the war, often the basics of what the struggle is all about get forgotten - ultimately it is about the people and what will sustainably bring about the most benefit to the most people. 

Debate about opposition strategies and coming to more proper conclusions as a result can only help them devise the right measures to win the elections, if not now then in five years. Malaysians have a lot riding on them because they are the last line of check and balance against a regime which has none at the moment.

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P GUNASEGARAM says Mahathir is not needed but if he is in, then make the most of it - and watch your back always! Email: t.p.guna@gmail.com -Mkini