BN lost due to arrogance, perceived power, says lawyer

Art Harun says BN and Umno had been accustomed to lording over people, and their own self-importance and perception of greatness proved their undoing

(FMT) – Lawyer Azhar Harun has hailed Pakatan Harapan’s defeat of Barisan Nasional in the 14th general election (GE14), calling it a victory over the former ruling coalition’s “own arrogance and perception of invincibility”.

In a Facebook post, Azhar said that ultimately BN and Umno had been living in denial and as a result was defeated due to its own perceived strength.

“This shows that no matter how strong and powerful a government is, ultimately its own arrogance and perception of invincibility would be its Achilles heel.

“A government that has been around for far too long, accustomed to throwing its weight and lording over the people would one day be swallowed by its own self-importance, its own perception of greatness, its own lack of innovation, and its obvious over-confidence,” said Azhar, who also goes by the name Art.

He added that such a government had been used to being told by its sycophantic advisers, and supporters that “everything was hunky-dory”.

“It is this attitude that made BN believe its own fiction, that the people are happy and love the government. 

“They actually dismissed whatever that was said when it was unpalatable. BN therefore, existed in a huge silo, where it manufactured its own reality and lived that reality, believing its own lies and fantasies.”

To illustrate this point, Azhar cited an example of how he had written last December about Malays having reached a tipping point.

“I said at the time that for the Malays it was no more about ‘anger’, but instead had turned into ‘menyampah’ (sickening).

“When I wrote that, an ex-classmate of mine, then a minister, sarcastically wrote in our alumni group: ‘wah… Art sekarang ni dah tahu how all the Malays feel’.”

Collective conscience

Azhar said that the outcome of GE14 proves what he had always said about the ultimate power in any democracy being with the people.

“This general election is proof that there is a limit that is drawn and defined by the collective conscience of the people in any democracy.”

He then turned his attention to the incoming government, saying they have much to live up to.

Imploring PH supporters to be patient, Azhar said the new PH government will have its work cut out for it as well.

“This new government has 60 years of imperfections to review and ultimately undo, particularly all those misplaced and harmful policies and wrongdoings that BN and its leaders had committed since 2013 or thereabouts.

“I am sure, and I have my trust, that this Pakatan Harapan government would try its very best to deliver. It just needs time to find its ground and proceed further.”

He added that the people now just need to unite and be focused.

“God willing, Malaysia will prevail.”