Most Read
Most Commented
Read more like this
mk-logo
From Our Readers

I refer to the Malaysiakini report DAP-PKR seat talks on brink of collapse .

After fifty years of continuous rule, in one form or another, by the Barisan Nasional, each general election presents the voters with an opportunity for change. The past few recent elections have presented golden opportunities for the alternative parties to oust the BN.

The lack of clear progress and improper directions in actual nation building by the BN have got voters ready for change. But are the alternative parties ready to take over? Many of us are concerned that the alternative parties are far from ready and willing. They appear ever ready to blow whatever chances they have by their incessant bickering over seat allocation.

Are they dooming themselves to be forever opposing and never advancing further than that? The 12th general election is expected soon and they appear not to have got their act together yet. Many of us diehard alternative supporters are almost giving up on them.

In any election, there is little the alternative parties need to do to convince their diehard supporters to continue providing the support. At the same time there is little they can do to ‘turnover’ the diehard BN supporters. The only ones they need to convince are those fence-sitters.

These fence-sitters are those who are finding small reasons not to rock the boat and opting for the ‘devil they know’ rather than the ‘unknown angel’. The inability of the alternative parties to settle a simple thing like seat allocations between them is sufficient to convince these fence-sitters to once again support the ‘devil they know’.

The 12th general election will once again provide the alternative parties the golden chance to gain seats at the expense of the BN which has been lately rocked by scandals like the Lingam tape saga, Hindraf, the forever increasing prices etc etc.

It distresses many to read in the alternative media of the alternative parties being unable to get their act together at this late stage. Many are talking of giving up on the alternative parties who appear not ready to bring BN down or reduce its massive majority.

Can the alternative parties especially DAP and PKR come out with a solution soon to their seat allocation woes? Surely by now they would have worked out which are their winnable seats. All that they have to do is to ensure a working allocation of these winnable seats. To the diehard alternative supporters, it matters little whether these seats are contested by PKR or DAP or PAS.

Most are fed-up with BN so it matters little which alternative party gets the vote. Many are ready to vote PAS or DAP or PKR, whichever is facing off against BN. But if the parties cannot even show that they are able to work together even before the votes have been cast, this reason alone might just result in voters withholding their votes.

Many might even - in their anger and confusion - opt to vote for BN if the alternative is a three-cornered contest. This is an event that DAP, PKR or PAS would not want but then again, it might just be what they want! I

In the remaining few weeks and days, they must show that - just like we the voters - they are ready for change and will fight the BN with their combined strength. Otherwise, the voters will have to live with the fact that our alternative parties are just not ready and are only good for the ‘opposing level’ of democracy.

DAP, PAS and PKR leaders - are you all deaf and clueless?

ADS