YOURSAY | Should Harapan work with Umno and if so, how?

 

YOURSAY | ‘It’s really choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.’

Harapan seat nego at advanced stage, not ruling out working with Umno

Keeneye: In politics, you don’t shut your door prematurely. In doing so, you will come across as arrogant to the public.

Of course, the political purists will say that the party which is willing to consider working with other parties who are opposing it as being unprincipled or opportunistic.

The real test is really about working together to serve the country or to serve the political leaders’ self-interest, and looking at Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, one cannot blame the people for their dim view on opportunistic and unprincipled political leaders.

However, how are you going to get rid of the PN government if you adopt a closed-door policy right from the very start without evaluating the pros and cons of working with others?

Obviously, Pakatan Harapan should be wiser by now in choosing who it can work with after the Dr Mahathir Mohamad experience and would be foolish to walk in blindly when choosing partners from outside Harapan.

IndigoKite6964: I am waiting for the day that may not come, and that is to see corruption booted out significantly, if not completely, in politics.

Even before the next general election, this is what we get - why is Umno perceived to be so strong even when it is run by convicts? It is so strong that Harapan does not discount working with them.

Is it another stunt not quite unlike that of the last general election with Mahathir? Or it is the acknowledgement that businesses in Malaysia is at best corrupt and will not survive without a corrupted government?

Whatever it might be, if Harapan works with Umno, not only do voters like myself do not have a clear choice in the next general election, it does not look like the country has a clear future either.

We need fresh political blood - young people who do not carry the baggage all these old foxes carry with them.

RR: Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, Harapan should work with any party that subscribes to its philosophy and principles, that is, corruption-free, no cronyism, practise egalitarianism, meritocracy, and protect the rights of all citizens on a needs basis.

Umno is the oldest and largest party in the country and whilst there are proven corrupt leaders in it, there are also many dedicated and corrupt-free leaders there. There is nothing wrong working with such leaders in the current situation.

There are corrupt leaders in most political parties. Just weed them out. The parties are not wrong, the leaders are. So, use your discretion in the right way.

Vijay47: You have just lost my family’s eight votes, Anwar. Anyone who can even consider working with Umno, anyone who chooses to run with the hounds who raped and looted the country for 60 years is equally of a canine breed as his friends.

Despite many warnings that Anwar was a master opportunist who would not hesitate to associate with the devil himself to reach the premier’s perch, I naively opted to give you the benefit of the doubt. Over and over again, to my undying shame and regret.

If it is of any relief to you, my contempt extends to the DAP and Amanah also if they are party to your “friends with Umno” scheme; needless to say, the Umno faction includes PAS.

After all your pious speeches, are Najib Abdul Razak, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Annuar Musa, Abdul Hadi Awang, Azmin Ali, or Rais Yatim, whatever may be their current grouping, the best you could dredge out?

With this act of betrayal from you, no one can fault or condemn Edmund Santhara, Larry Sng, Paul Yong, and A Sivasubramaniam; they did only what you are now doing.

No doubt, Anwar, this must be another milestone in your journey to assuage the Malays in order to wear the crown you are obsessed with.

Angin Lintang: Even if Anwar succeeds in GE15, he will be the next Muhyiddin Yassin. Let's get this straight, Umno wants the prime minister post, there's no space for negotiation.

Either you go head-on against them or you let them have what they want and that includes imprisoning you, Anwar and your Harapan gang.

Understand that the battle has escalated to this level since the last general election. Understand that you must win against them and not cooperate with them.

Dr Raman Letchumanan: The biggest threat to Harapan is whether the voters who supported Harapan in GE14 is still intact, including the non-Malays.

Looking at the losing streak in by-elections like Slim, Sabah, etc, most have abandoned them. The voters don't care about the misdeeds of PN, only Malaysiakini and its readers. Now with the frogging, it is even worse.

That is the clear and present danger that Harapan should address. Harapan leaders seem to be in cuckoo land, assuming all the birds are in their hands. So, every meeting they talk about seats, counting MPs, poaching each other, who to work with, etc, not realising most of the birds have flown away.

They only react to bad news against PN, nothing of their own narrative. They wait for the enemy to self-destruct, or take in the rejects, not realising their own house has crumbled.

Don't they even talk about this in their presidential council meetings, or do they think we are stupid to blindly follow them?

I have read the comments so far. Any suggestions on how to move forward? Harapan in its current form is a sure loser, especially headed by Anwar. He and DAP leader Lim Guan Eng are talking about 'friends' from outside.

All the ummahs will ultimately get back together, even though they seem to be fighting now. Remember Perak? The only impediment is the 'court cluster' in Umno.

PN would give in if the choice is losing the government and their MPs, rather than continue with a stronger legitimate Malay Muslim government, which is always their dream, and for a majority of voters. Corruption? They need it to swindle even more.

To me, it is not so much about you will lose my vote if you do this or that. Where should my vote go, that is my concern.

BrownCheetah9736: Exactly @Dr Raman Letchumanan, most of the comments reflect a rejection of Harapan working with Umno. But what’s the alternative?

PKR/Amanah have less than 30 percent of the Malay vote and are in danger of being wiped out in the next general election.

How can Harapan form the next government without a majority Malay party that represents over 60 percent of the population? 100 percent of the minority votes still won’t afford you the next government.

So, it’s really choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea. Like many, we don’t like the unsavoury idea of working with either Umno, PAS or Bersatu. But political reality has to dictate.

And mind you, would you trust any of the political parties in East Malaysia more than you would trust the Peninsular parties?

If the readers still think that any of the working alternatives are unpalatable, then presumably only DAP will be left in opposition after the next general election (with the scenario that PKR/Amanah/Warisan will be effectively wiped out to a handful of MPs) as I can bet that all the frogs will hop over and form the next government.

However, I do agree that Anwar should be replaced as the head of PKR/Harapan. He has clearly shown his weak hands and is selfish, blind and has an obsessive mental state. - Mkini