Aspan: Opposition has let the Malays down
Amanah is seen as DAP’s stooge which explains why the Chinese did not throw their weight completely behind the party.
(FMT) – A political analyst, visiting the just concluded by-elections in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar, reiterated that as he had stated in his blog “umpteen times”, the country needs new politics and a new government leader urgently.
Aspan Alias cited the case of a Kuala Kangsar voter staying in his neighbourhood in Subang Jaya. The voter went back to cast his vote for Barisan Nasional (BN) out of his disappointment with the Opposition that could not agree to take on the ruling coalition one-to-one. This was one voter who wanted to see change.
“Voting for Mat Sabu’s party (Amanah) will only insult the bit of intelligence that I have,” Aspan quoted the voter as saying. “The voter went on to complain, ‘this group of rejected leaders from PAS is just desperate (desperados) after being sidelined by it. How can they allow the non-Muslims – read DAP – to criticise us about how we take our religion with us? How can they teach us not to be good Muslims?’ . . . “
“He further said, ‘and the Amanah fellas allow them to freely criticise Muslims without any qualms’.”
Another voter, a government servant who voted in Sungai Besar, wanted to see change as well but questioned who was going to bring about the change.
“If the Opposition wants to swirl accusations among themselves, how are they going to exercise (bring) changes? I might as well vote for the ailing BN,” Aspan quoted the voter as saying. “The voter went on to say, ‘After all a win for Amanah or PAS in the by-election does not make the government change. It’s disheartening to see the Opposition killing each other and to put them in power will only make things worse’…”
The voter, stressed the analyst, further added: “Please don’t waste our time my friend. Let the Opposition show their seriousness first before we give them the heavy mandate to change the government.”
“We are getting sick, listening to quarreling leaders. Quarreling leaders will never make headway for changes. That’s it.”
The main point, said Aspan, was that the BN was resting on its laurels as the Opposition remained split. “The politics has gone haywire and erratic. Both sides of the divide have been proven to do harm to the people and the country.”
“The political culture is bringing ruin to the nation to the extent that it’s almost unrecognisable and beyond the comprehension of democratic minds.”
He said the just concluded by-elections was proof enough of a situation created by the tainted BN and the equally tainted Opposition. “It’s because of this that an embattled Prime Minister won handsomely.”
“He won between the split in the Opposition and the ‘Cash is King’ belief, supported by government agencies who played the main role in getting the support of the naive voters in the hinterland.”
Aspan conceded that racial issues played by the BN were also a factor as Malay voters shied away from Amanah in Sungai Besar when they saw the DAP busy campaigning although not participating in the by-election. “The Malays did not trust Amanah because of DAP. BN capitalised on this point.”
The Chinese too failed to rally to the DAP, he said, as they felt that the by-election would not make a difference anyway, and besides they were put off by the bickering Opposition. “DAP was immobilised when it came to the Chinese.”
