your say 'Get your basics in place first and don't ride on the peoples' dissatisfaction with the current administration. Don't for a minute think that Pakatan has the blind support of the people. You don't.'

'Awake from your slumber, O Pakatan'

Spokenthots: Pakatan Rakyat must be strategic and set up media channels to reach the growing opposition support base. A failure to communicate effectively will end in disaster for Pakatan in the 13 th general elections.

Coalition discipline must be enforced on unwanted chatter or noise from all members. Pakatan also has to speak with one voice unlike the now many voices.

Pakatan is on the brink of becoming irrelevant because of all the ‘in-fighting noise' coming out from the different parties. If you can't keep your house in order how do you expect to run the government?

Get your basics in place first and don't ride on the peoples' dissatisfaction with the current administration. Don't for a minute think that Pakatan has the blind support of the people. You don't.

Make yourself matter to the people and stop fighting on BN's terms. Choose your battlegrounds well and attack with ferocity of a 1,000 hungry tigers. Be bold in your actions for we the people are watching.

Maggie Lim: Don't be too sure about the no change in support for Pakatan in areas where the population is more informed and knowledgeable. You'll be surprised if you open your ears and listen carefully.

Many are angry with PAS and their banning of this and that. They are also frustrated with all the in-fighting, frequent blame games and that there is nothing constructive and concrete to show the people that they are better off.

If Pakatan is not careful, the next ‘tsunami' will be in the opposite direction.

John Smith: Where is the Pakatan common manifesto? If they take over the federal government, where is the clear policy document defining what they will do?

What is the major position that differentiates them from BN other than not being BN? If the parties choose to offer Pakatan as an alternative, then they really must tell us what that means.

This means a fully accepted decision, right now, about Islamic state policies, racial discrimination policies, human rights policies and anti-patronage and corruption policies.

Tan Chee Kiong: One ‘buy-election' in Bagan Pinang does not mean a thing. It does not constitute that the people buy the idea of ‘1Malaysia'.

If Umno/BN is so confident of their ‘1Malaysia' idealogy then they should call for a fresh election in Perak or even call for a snap election. If Umno/BN wins, then they can claim that the people have now returned their support to BN.

The landslide victory of Umno/BN at Bagan Pinang was due not because PAS was weak but because of the restrictions on campaigning imposed by the Election Commission. If given an equal opportunity, I believe PAS could have done better than just securing their 2,000-plus votes.

Since the people of Bagan Pinang have given Umno/BN their full support, let's see what development Umno/BN will bring to this poor and underdeveloped place.

Edwin JR: For Pakatan to be an accepted as an alternative by the people, it has to follow a middle path to accommodate the non-Muslims, who are not in favour of a Muslim state.

If Pakatan is serious about forming the next government, a more secular-state agenda needs to be drawn up by Pakatan which will accommodate all Malaysians.

Failing to bring under control all the loose cannons (Hasan Ali, PAS Youth, etc) who shoot their mouths off without taking into consideration the non-Muslims is a very short-sighted action.

Pakatan has to become one team in order to harness the support of the people - it doesn't come automatically. While I'm fed-up with the status quo, it will be better for the BN to rule if Pakatan is not hungry enough yet for change.

Melayuhk: The reasons for the loss of non-Malay votes should be obvious to all. Firstly, of course, is the money politics.

The most important reason of all and as mentioned by many readers was the arrogance of some of the PAS leaders (and we all know who they are) who treat both Muslims and non-Muslim (and of course their Pakatan partners too) with impunity.

They behave no different from BN leaders, saying nice things (or refraining from saying nasty things) only when they are standing for elections where the non-Muslim votes count.

Observer: This is clearly a shot in the arm for moderation. PAS, learn your lesson well.