How to win back Chinese spoilt votes overnight

(Malaysian Chinese News) – Instead of insulting voters from top, why not free yourself from position and ask voters what do they want?

A minority group of Malay netizens have started a campaign to boycott or cast spoilt votes in the coming General Elections. A spark can burn an entire field. At the end the campaign has turned into a massive call of casting spoilt votes in cyberspace.

The opposition elected representatives were in an attempt to “fire-fighting” by accusing Barisan Nasional runners started the campaign; some were trying to brainwash netizens while some threatened netizens by saying the country would turn for the worse if Barisan Nasional were to win.

The tipping point for the call of casting spoilt votes amongst Malays was recommendation by Pakatan Harapan to propose Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the Prime Minister. The Malay voters who called for casting spoilt votes were Reformasi generation who have put in both money and effort in support of Pakatan Rakyat. After March 08 they helped by writing online, some did not belong to any party but went on street to campaign for Pakatan Rakyat. When the opposition changed after May 05 election and opted for a short cut by giving in to Tun Mahathir in order to take over the government, these people were disappointed.

As for spoilt vote, the Chinese community started earlier than the Malay community. As DAP, which garnered 80% of Chinese votes, was keen on exploring Malay market, the party has neglected the request of Chinese community on many major issues.

Last year we have started to say that if DAP continued to ignore the call made by Chinese community, we would cast spoilt votes in the coming General Election to let DAP lose one round in order for them not to take Chinese votes for granted. Chinese votes are also not chip coins used to surrender. They would then return to look after Chinese community.

The amusing part is Chinese and Malay elected representatives of the opposition shared similar reactions on the call to cast spoilt votes. These elected representatives either accused others as runner for Barisan Nasional or ticked them off as fools or a waste of vote.

These people have forgotten about the fact that the Chinese or Malays who made the call to casting spoilt votes were actually comrades who went through thick and thin with them earlier. Many even took the trouble of flying back to vote during last elections. Have you ever thought why these people are reluctant to do so now? What have you done wrong?

Why do elected representatives are holding on to the attitude of they remain above all? Most of the time they carried the attitude of “you are a fool if you do not vote for me”. Hello, do we owe you?

Remember this: no votes are pooled through scolding. If you want our votes, then seek the votes from us.

If you do not wish to witness spoilt votes, then all opposition YBs should discard their dignity by seeking apology from voters. Ask voters: “How would you vote for me?” Didn’t you want to save the nation? Instead of insulting voters from top, why not free yourself from position and ask voters what do they want? Interact with young people, change manifesto to their preference, wouldn’t your votes return?

With the involvement of Mahathir, it is even easier to win back Chinese votes. As long as Mahathir could sign the 1999 version of Suqiu (requests made by Chinese community) that he went back on his words last round, get him to apologize over the accusation of linking Chinese community to communist party and let Mahathir speak to people in the entire country in Malay language that “Chinese primary schools do not pose any threat to national development nor unity. I would recognise Unified Examination Certificate without condition once I am the Prime Minister. Chinese independent school graduates can serve the nation, because Chinese are as patriotic as Malays.”  I dare to guarantee that the low sentiment among Chinese community of not casting vote or casting spoilt vote as protest would disappear overnight. The Chinese votes would be back like May 05.

Mahathir would only require making a verbal pledge or signing the Suqiu which was not legally binding; the spoilt votes in Chinese community would be back. These are gestures without financial costs. I do not understand why elected representatives from the opposition rather hide in Chinese majority areas to scold, insult and even threaten voters but not requesting Mahathir to perform those tasks? Do you really think it is natural for Chinese community to vote for you?