PETALING JAYA: A think tank has voiced concern over a minister’s remarks following the Semenyih by-election that the Bumiputera agenda should be fulfilled “without feeling apologetic or fearful”, saying there is no room for “narrow communal posturing” in the country.
“The tone of Azmin’s message and the speed at which it was issued raises the prospect that the upcoming Rantau by-election will see heightened posturing of this sort,” the Centre for a Better Tomorrow (Cenbet) said, referring to Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Adding that Azmin’s statement was deeply concerning, it said it was also unsettling as his ministry “oversees massive public funds involving the country’s economic well-being”.
“Political leaders should avoid knee-jerk reactions to the results of by-elections. Instead, they should focus on long-term national interests.
On Sunday, Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president, said the outcome of the Semenyih by-election was a wake-up call for Pakatan Harapan (PH) to act collectively in carrying out promised reforms.
He said PH should step up efforts to change and be the party of choice for Malay voters, as well as continue the Bumiputera agenda.
“We must be brave and not hesitate in fulfilling our promises, especially on the Malay and Bumiputera agenda which is an integral part of the national agenda. We must do so without feeling apologetic and fearful of criticism of others,” he said.
In a statement, Cenbet vice-president Simon Lim said PH swept to power in the May 9 polls last year on the promise of being a government for all.
He said it had also pledged to implement policies and programmes that “unite the nation and create an inclusive society and maintain the harmony of multiracial and multi-religious Malaysia”.
“The current administration should stick to the letter and spirit of the promise. It should also learn from the mistakes of its predecessor whose overt racial and religious pandering was a put-off to voters, resulting in the coalition getting the boot in the last general election.
“Voters, especially minorities, who bought into PH’s pledge for reforms are increasingly frustrated and disappointed by the ruling coalition’s pandering to right-wing groups bent on dividing Malaysians,” he said. FREE MALAYSIA TODAY
Communicating with Malay voters crucial for PH survival
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) must learn how to get the message across that they are concerned about Malay and Muslim issues if they want to retain power and survive Malaysian politics.
At the same time, they must not alienate the non-Malays mainly on whose support they won in the 14th general elections, according to political analyst Dr Jeniri Amir.
He said PH must address core issues close to the heart for Malay voters such as their rights, religion and the royalty.
“Perception matters, and the political narrative has to have the right communications strategies. Otherwise, these issues can be manipulated, just like what Barisan Nasional (BN) did in the recently concluded Semenyih by-election,“ he told theSun.
He was responding to PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s statement that the coalition must be seen to be fulfilling the bumiputra agenda.
He said it also mattered how far PH shifted in this direction. “If it becomes too Malay-centric, it will offend the non-Malay voters,“ he pointed out.
He said it was also important for PH to stop getting too entangled in blaming the previous government for past transgressions. “What they should do is move on and lead the country by addressing bread-and-butter issues,“ he added.
Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau said Azmin was asking PH to compete with Umno and PAS by pushing a racial agenda. “That basically makes them the same as BN, and it violates their own commitment to reform,“ he said.
“Does Azmin take the 95% of the Chinese who back PH for granted? He should not forget that he won the last polls on non-bumiputra support,“ Lau added.
This, he said, only showed that PH leaders had the same mentality (as their BN cohorts). “There is no political will to reform. Instead they are going backwards just to remain in power,“ he said.
He wants PH leaders to state whether they were championing issues that concern all Malaysians or were they just focused on bumiputras.
Meanwhile, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had distanced his party from Azmin’s stand. “It’s his personal opinion. It does not reflect our approach,“ he said.
“Our views are reflected in our election manifesto,“ he told a press conference today after launching the Digital Native Agenda 23 at Astro.
That agenda, he said, was the people’s agenda and it meant helping the poor and abandoned without any racial approach. THE SUN DAILY
FREE MALAYSIA TODAY / THE SUN DAILY
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