'Pakatan, you already have a winning formula. Always stick to the basics and the rest will fall into place.'

PKR tells DAP not to become 'big-headed like Umno'

Cheong Sai Fah: Penang PKR's information chief Johari Kassim has got a point. DAP would not have won so many seats if it were not part of Pakatan Rakyat. So stay with the seat allocation.

Let the Malay DAP member stand in current DAP-allocated constituencies. Show them that the electorate can vote across racial lines. After all, that is what ‘Malaysian Malaysia' is about.

Anonymous_3f34: Johari Kassim is right in his statement. Is DAP so chauvinistic that it will only field non-Malay candidates in the 19 seats which it contested and won in Penang?

Pronto: Is DAP state committee member Zulkifli Mohd Noor another Trojan planted by BN?

To me, DAP should only put up the best candidate immaterial of their race. I agree with what Johari said, but he has to make sure the candidate can win the election. There is no point putting up a Malay when you know he is going to lose.

MW: Even though I see PKR as the weakest link in Pakatan and I am a DAP supporter and admire what Lim Guan Eng has done in Penang, I agree with Johari on this one.

Is Zulkifli is getting too big-headed and being naive at the same time?

Karma: It sounds like Umno is out to stir things up among the Malays in the Pakatan. It is not a DAP problem. If you are truly fighting against Umno, just negotiate everything behind closed doors. Or else, just admit that you are working for Umno.

Onyourtoes: Johari, I think it is not necessary for you to further exacerbate the situation by labelling DAP as trying to be like Umno. I think that is very unkind.

I wonder you have motives more than just defending the position of PKR. People nowadays are very discerning and they are probably more "political" than you politicians, except they choose to remain in other professions.

Anak Malaysia: PKR, DAP, PAS, beware. Close ranks, don't speak easily to the media as they could be looking for issues to discredit and weaken you all.

Pakatan has all the ingredients to rule Malaysia, but only through a truly cohesive and united coalition. No single party can rule Putrajaya, it must be a united Pakatan.

AnonymousA 140V: You can't weed all the frogs as people change all the time. Even people like Lee Lam Thye betrayed DAP at the last minute in the 1990 elections, so how can you make sure there won't be frogs in DAP or PKR? How many people can be as principled as Karpal Singh?

I truly hope Pakatan is a multiracial party or ‘raceless' party. It doesn't matter whether it is Ali, Ah Chong or Muthu that holds the position. What we want is a credible, capable and principled leader.

Do190811: If Pakatan wants to be sure of having the chance to march to Putrajaya, please field the best candidates. We want people with good character, fair minded, able and with integrity regardless of race, whichever component party he or she comes from.

Anonymous: Johari, why are you so worried about fielding more Malay candidates or non-Malay candidates? See for yourself how a Chinese CM treats the Malay population in Penang.

MCA has complained that too many projects have been awarded to bumiputera contractors. Look at the current scholarship distribution. Do you think the Malays have less share under the DAP?

At the end of the day, we must select an honest, clean, efficient candidate, not just talk about it. Most politicians do a lot of talking and make a lot of promises before getting elected, but once elected, nothing's done.

Bozo: PKR must surrender some seats to its partners if Pakatan wants to make a realistic bid for Putrajaya. It's no point for PKR to hold on to seats which they cannot win. Sarawak is a good example.

Pakatan must have a common goal and PKR should not act like big brother Umno.

Anonymous_3da0: When PMC (Penang Malay Congress) challenged DAP to field five Malay candidates, DAP told PKR to give them five seats. But DAP already has 19 seats. Is it because no one in DAP wants to give up his or her seat for a Malay candidate?

This should have been discussed behind closed doors right from the beginning. ‘Teamwork' apparently for some, means PKR giving what DAP wants.

On this matter, Zulkifli was the first to go public . And when Johari of PKR responds through the same medium, he is vilified. PKR must be scratching their heads as to why they must be the one holding this ‘DAP Malay' bag.

Anonymous_3da0: At least DAP's Ng Wei Aik is talking some common sense - if there is a need for changes, talk it out behind closed doors.

While the DAP might have some ideas about representation within its ranks cutting across racial lines, stepping into PKR territory (seat allocation) and in public no less, will invite a reaction, and most of them will not be good.

At the same time, PKR has got to buck up, and quickly. While DAP's approach to this was clumsy, PKR has got some serious shoring up of its political capital in light of massive defection within their ranks since the last GE.

Galpasqueen: Pakatan, always remind yourselves why you got together in the first place and you already have a winning formula. Always stick to the basics and the rest will fall into place.

Always remember the bigger picture - the nation must benefit from your policies and decision-making. Get yourselves in order - this is actually your job description.

You've asked for the rakyat to wise up and now we cannot have people who wants to take us a step backwards. Stop whining over internal political agendas and stay focused on the bigger picture.

Alan Goh: This is timely advice from Johari. Pakatan parties must always think win-win and not win-lose. DAP and PKR can swap seats if they feel that their candidate is winnable.

Please choose only bersih , honest, dedicated, humble individuals with credible track record, not ‘froggies' like the six PKR MPs.

Johnny Rambo: Will Pakatan leaders sit and discuss allocation of seats now and finalise it so that you don't complain later. It's a give-and-take policy.

BN is causing rift in Pakatan and some Pakatan Malay leaders have fallen for it. You cannot satisfy everybody. Filter the candidate and pick the best, most dedicated and sincere among the lot.

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