Guan Eng: Pakatan has strong chance of winning GE14

Pakatan Harapan deputy president Lim Guan Eng says Dr Mahathir factor, three-cornered fights would be a bane to BN and its newfound ally, PAS.

GEORGE TOWN: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng says the chances of Pakatan Harapan (PH) defeating Barisan Nasional (BN) at the polls is “very strong”, citing reduced Malay votes in the past two elections and the “Dr M” factor.

Lim, who is also one of three PH deputy presidents, said the opposition coalition was a “real threat” to BN, more so now, considering BN was only able to muster 58% of the Malay votes in the last general election, held in May 2013.

However, he said that it was not just about the dismal numbers.

“The constant attacks on former prime minister and Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad would only further drag down BN’s chances in the next general election (GE14).

“BN was not able to increase their votes in previous polls. In the last general election, they only got 58% of the Malay votes.

“We predict this number would definitely drop further in the next polls, especially with Mahathir leaving Umno to form PPBM,” the Penang chief minister said at a press conference in Komtar here today.

Lim said even with the threat of three-cornered fights coming from BN’s new-found ally PAS, it is BN which would be at a disadvantage, not PH.

He said in these three-cornered fights, PAS will get votes from “hardcore supporters” and Umno voters, but their unpopularity with the non-Malays would put them at the losing end.

“If PAS gets Umno votes, they cannot get non-Malay votes. This is because non-Malay voters are with Pakatan.

“Our recent analysis showed PAS would have their hardcore support, but they are facing losses everywhere,” Lim said agreeing with a statement from his party colleague, Liew Chin Tong, who said yesterday that three cornered fights will hurt BN.

Liew, who is Kluang MP, said some voters who supported Umno in the 2013 general election were shifting to PH due to disapproval towards Umno and its president, Prime Minister Najib Razak.

“There will also be some who voted for PAS in the last election switching to PH due to their disagreement with the idea of PAS cooperating with Umno when its leader Najib is burdened with the country’s worst scandal,” Liew had said, referring to the 1MDB issue.

Lim agreed, saying that PAS voters will see that the party which espouses Islamic values has “lost its spots” as it no longer wants to fight Umno and BN.

“PAS now works tacitly with BN and would contest for the sake of contesting,” said Lim, who is Bagan MP.

“We are giving two clear choices to the electorate, either PH or BN. Do they want to continue with a party that has ruled for the past 60 years or do they want change, with a fresh beginning, a new Malaysia, as well as fresh hope for their children and grandchildren.” -FMT