COMMENT | PN still stuck on 2Rs, Harapan flaunts economic stuff

COMMENT | “It’s the economy, stupid.”

This sally, composed by the Bill Clinton campaign in 1992 that limited the presidency of George HW Bush to one term, has come to occupy a niche in political campaign history.

It was a smart and effective slogan, and when challenger Clinton won, it passed into campaign folklore: voters generally tend to vote what makes sense to them, economically.

This is what the Pakatan Harapan-led unity government is banking on in the contest with Perikatan Nasional in the six states where polls to elect state legislatures will be held on Aug 12.

Harapan will rely on the economic performance of the states – Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan – they had controlled and the economic programme Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has successively outlined for the nation since he took charge eight months ago, to make the case for continuity and acceleration.

The Madani economic initiatives that Anwar has announced in recent days have drawn praise from no less an economics heavyweight than Johari Abdul Ghani.

He volunteered the view that the nostrums outlined would bring a revival of the country’s economy, provided the regimen is maintained for 10 years at least.

Johari, who is an Umno vice-president, is regarded as sufficiently professional not to be speaking from a self-interested manner, he being a member of the overall unity government.

On ability alone and on the strength of the prescience of his analyses of the Malaysian economy that he had voiced in past years, Johari is qualified to handle the finance ministry portfolio.

Hence his prediction of how the economy will pan out in the next 10 years, based on his take on the Madani economic initiatives, deserves attention.

Race and religion

In contrast, the PN brain trust of Muhyiddin Yassin and Azmin Ali, slipping into campaign mode for the six state polls have not come up with what plans they have, if any at all.

Muhyiddin, in particular, appears unable to shed a furtive resort to the 2Rs – race and religion – in his campaign approach.

He could not resist a dig at the decision of the unity government to drop the appeal of an appellate court decision to allow Sarawakian Jill Ireland’s use of the “Allah” word in faith education and prayer rituals.

Inevitably, the DAP was blamed by Muhyiddin for the government’s decision to drop the appeal.

DAP is the traditional ogre for PN politicians seeking to stir Malay fears of the party as having an inordinate influence on the unity government’s policies and stances.

Nothing DAP can do to demonstrate that this fear is exaggerated and no assurances that Anwar gives that the claim is unfounded are quite able to dismiss the story as a base canard.

Fortunately, Harapan, in tandem with erstwhile partner Umno, can fight back against this politics of fear by joint appearances on the campaign trail and getting the message across that their cohabitation in the unity government has fomented political stability, drawn increased foreign investment, created jobs and lowered inflation.

It remains to be seen if the old Clinton cry, “It’s the economy, stupid,” does have traction in the state politics in Malaysia.

TERENCE NETTO is a journalist with half a century’s experience.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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