PN making strategic mistakes in lead up to state elections

 

Perikatan Nasional (PN) is making several huge strategic mistakes in how it approaches the upcoming six state elections.

Over the past two decades, Pakatan Harapan leader Anwar Ibrahim has created a narrative that he is a champion of multiracialism. He has cemented that position by being at the helm of the federal unity government.

Anwar is now clearly moving to win over the Malays who voted for PN in the 15th general election.

That has left a seemingly insecure PN dancing to Anwar’s tune by focusing only on retaining the Malay vote and ignoring the non-Malays altogether.

PN appears to have resorted to desperate tactics. It is practically scaring the Malays into supporting the coalition through overblown racial and religious rhetoric. In doing so, the coalition appears to have alienated a significant number of its own supporters.

PN should not have so easily surrendered to the narrative that the non-Malays are solidly behind Anwar. It should instead have worked to win over their vote by showing it was more than capable of looking after their needs.

As an example, it was fairly clear even at the turn of the year that DAP would not be fielding Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy as a candidate. PN could have easily wooed the Indian vote by fulfilling the community’s need for proper representation in the state assembly and government.

With the support of a sizeable number of Indians, PN would have been better placed to vie for Penang. It would also have decimated Anwar’s narrative that he and PH are the champions of multiracialism.

Anwar, PH and the unity government’s biggest weakness is that its idealism does not stand the test of reality. They may champion multiculturalism in word, but invariably lean towards their own racial interests.

PN could have easily challenged Anwar’s claim to “multiculturalism” by reference to the set up of his administration, but instead the opposition coalition chose to dance to Anwar’s tune by portraying themselves as victims in a bid to win sympathy votes.

The reality is the Malays know they can no longer claim to be victimised and oppressed by the non-Malays. They know deep down that there is no such thing as an “oppressed majority”. They also know that pushing such a narrative will only bring them embarrassment and shame.

PN’s attempt to conflate the trials and tribulations of its leaders with the trials and tribulations of the Malays is another strategic mistake. The relationship between the Malays today and their leaders is not the same as it was 60 years ago.

In the 1960s, if a leader said he had to rear chickens to offset soaring prices, the Malays might have believed and identified with him. Today, they would simply laugh at him.

When someone like Dr Mahathir Mohamad says that the Malays stand to lose everything under Anwar, the Malays would disbelieve and disassociate themselves from him. Many will then consider Anwar a more credible leader and attach themselves to him.

Post August 12, PN may have a lot to reflect upon in its post-mortem. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.