Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will not call for an early general election so he can take time to rebuild his support base, a Bersatu leader claimed.
In a statement today, Bersatu Youth information chief Harris Idaham Rashid said that this is following Pakatan Harapan’s poor showing in the 17th Sabah state polls.
Harris said that the Sabah election reflected the coalition’s declining support among voters, which, he added, had weakened Anwar’s confidence in its GE16 prospects.
“Without the Melalap state seat, whose candidate was imported at the last minute, Harapan, which is currently governing the country, would have suffered defeat in all the seats it contested.
“This has caused the prime minister to lack confidence in the current level of support and to require as much time as possible to try to increase that level of support,” he said.
On Wednesday, Anwar reportedly said that GE16 will not be called anytime soon, and that it is “still a long way off.”
During a dinner programme with senior editors, Anwar said that he is focused on implementing reforms, among other priorities.
Harapan ‘ace’ DAP in trouble
Harris, however, claimed that despite introducing new policies during Harapan’s three-year tenure, the people are still unconvinced of Anwar and his government’s capabilities in governing the nation.
Harris also criticised DAP, which he described as Harapan’s “ace card”, cautioning that the party’s inability to retain seats in the Sabah election could jeopardise the coalition’s survival if it fails to secure the expected number of parliamentary seats in the next general election.
DAP lost all eight seats it contested in Sabah. Apart from losing, the percentage of support for the party in Sabah also plummeted.
Since its defeat in Sabah, DAP, criticised by opponents for losing its voice in the Madani administration, has shifted gears. It has pledged to push for reforms within six months, while its leaders are quick to speak out on issues of public concern.
Harris also reminded that Harapan won against Perikatan Nasional by only a slim margin during GE15, something that could be dispelled with ease if the trend of rejection continued for the party.
“As a prime minister who relies heavily on DAP to contribute a sufficient number of parliamentary seats, these facts and data would certainly present an unfavourable picture.
“Thus, the prime minister’s anxiety about dissolving Parliament early to pave the way for GE16, at a time when DAP is facing a decline in support, is clearly visible,” he added.
Harris added that the economic gains announced by the government were not being felt by the people, and, coupled with frequent corruption scandals, this had prevented the expected support from translating into votes.
Peninsular parties nearly wiped out in Sabah
DAP and PKR, as well as Bersatu and PAS, which hold significant political territory in Peninsular Malaysia, were wiped out or lost in most of their contests.
Harapan only managed to secure one seat through PKR’s Jamawi Ja’afar in Melalap, while PN, which fielded candidates in 42 seats, won only one through PAS’ Aliakbar Gulasan in Karambunai. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.