Harapan should campaign on its manifesto, not anti-Zahid rhetoric

“PSM is surprised that BN is painting the nation red for this general election with a manifesto containing promises right out of a socialist handbook.”

– PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan as reported in the press

This is the key right here. Some folks are dismissive of campaign manifestos and who can blame them?

However, this election is a bit different. Both BN and Pakatan Harapan have put forward manifestos that demonstrate that both coalitions understand the need for an inclusive national agenda and a needs-based approach to the economic disparities in the various communities.

For the Malay uber alles establishment, this is one of the least uber alles manifestos they have come up with. Why? Because they are desperate and realise that every vote counts.

For partisans, this does not really matter. Both sides view the other's campaign promises as pie-in-the-sky propaganda but for the undecided and fence-sitting voters, the way how candidates transmit their messages is important.

Nobody is really going through the manifesto but rather they are waiting for political operatives to tell them how they are going to make their lives better.

BN-Umno has a track record of running the country with stability – and yes, people forget the plundering when their lives are good – and this makes it easier for them to sell the stability message to people who are sick and tired of the shenanigans of the political elites.

But the most important takeaway from both manifestos is that inclusivity is a major theme.

When it comes to healthcare, Harapan edges out its competitor by addressing issues that the country will face and making some firm commitments, especially our ageing population. And remember older voters make up the numbers (so far) more than younger voters.

And yes, young voters are extremely important, which is why they need to be told how Harapan is going to make their lives better.

BN-Umno is already doing that by aggressively courting the young vote by highlighting certain aspects of their manifesto on social media and beyond the echo chambers, and this is playing very well.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Don’t fall for echo chambers politics. Harapan political operatives may feel secure that the anti-Ahmad Zahid Hamidi sentiment will pull them through but the reality is that with a fractured Malay voting block, people are looking for not only political stability but also how the government will improve their day-to-day lives.

This is why it is vitally important that soundbites of how the manifesto would improve their lives should be the talking points and not how the existential threat facing this country is Zahid.

Vague on certain promises

Most people think the system is corrupt. They understand this on an instinctual level, that religion or race cannot totally sublimate. But their economic concerns are more immediate.

With this in mind, Harapan should rely on its manifesto instead of banging the anti-Zahid drum. This works for the base but it really does not do anything for the demographic you want to get.

You may have good ideas but if nobody hears them, especially those that really need to, it means bupkis. And it really does not matter if some of the promises are vague.

Harapan political operatives I have talked to are worried that while BN has made some concrete promises, especially in terms of education and other entitlement programmes, the coalition is vague on certain promises.

That is not a problem, in fact, it is an advantage. An old-school Republican strategist once told me that the best type of campaign promises were the ones which informed the audience that you were aware of the problem but to keep it vague so they cannot nail you down on specifics.

Let the other guy talk in detail, and then you can point out the flaws in the solution. When you come into power, if the other guy's ideas were good and had popular support, steal them. That is how you win.

Look, politics is about getting the votes, keeping them and then most importantly expanding the pool of people who would vote for you (not including the base).

PSM’s messaging is good. It is not saying that BN’s ideas are bad but rather that BN has no track record of implementing them.

This way, it normalises these so-called “red” ideas, while informing the voting public that fat cats BN political operatives have no intention of implementing these ideas.

Go to the social media feeds of PSM political operatives and you would discover a similar theme.

People need to be inspired to get out to vote. People need to believe that their vote would make a difference in the way they live. Or they may just decide that voting for what they know is less risky than voting for the unknown, especially in these trying times.

Furthermore, each state is different. The messaging should be tailored to reflect local sensibilities. All politics is local and is a truism for a reason.

Always be simple in delivering the message. Harapan should tailor its message according to the needs of the people of individual states, instead of shoehorning a grand national narrative that does not resonate on a state level.

Harapan political operatives when campaigning should link local issues with what they have got in their manifesto. This way you are reminding people that you understand their local problems, and the national narrative is geared towards them.

The talking points, especially in the urban areas because these talking points flow towards the heartland, should not be about a corrupt politician like Zahid but rather how Harapan is going to make their lives better.

Run on your manifesto, Harapan. - Mkini

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S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.