YOURSAY | ‘I believe the real battle must be fought in East Malaysia, in particular Sarawak.’

Rope in PAS or risk losing GE again, Rafizi cautions

Aries46: Whatever PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli says makes sense and voters too want a win-win strategy.

PAS is pivotal to Pakatan Harapan's mission and efforts must be made to explore a working relationship (electoral pact) failing which Putrajaya or even Amanah's survival is an uphill task.

However, Rafizi must understand that the biggest losers are those Pakatan voters who have yet to come to terms with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang spurning, humiliating and back-stabbing Pakatan.

What wrong did these voters do to him, whatever his differences with PKR and DAP? What he did is akin to burning down the house because of a family squabble.

How sure are we that if Pakatan wins GE14, Hadi Awang will not lay his hudud cards on the table and hold the coalition to ransom as he is known to hedge his bets with one leg planted in Umno.

Rafizi seems to know what is good but he must ensure that that voters are not taken for another ride by PAS.

Gaji Buta: It sounds like most commentators will only vote for a 'perfect' opposition. Is getting rid of BN, getting answers to our country's mysteries - unsolved murders, money scandals and others, restoring institutions, etc, not important anymore?

If it does not work out, after five years, you can vote BN back in again. I think Malaysians are mature enough to survive without needing politicians holding their hands, so why so be afraid? This should be the campaign strategy of Pakatan Harapan.

Proarte: Given PKR wants to form an electoral pact with PAS despite its leader Anwar Ibrahim and his wife being rejected by the PAS leadership, and the fact that PAS is showing undisguised receptiveness to Umno's overtures, the question then, who is the political enemy?

Why not PKR form a pact with Umno if they are so desperate for power? If PKR can form a pact with PAS despite being humiliated by them, what is the reason for not finding Umno a suitable partner?

Pakatan Harapan winning the next election at the expense of principle by forming unholy pacts is a wasted exercise as it will be BN rule all over again under a different guise. The rakyat deserve better.

I certainly will not be supporting PKR and PAS as they have shown themselves to be self-serving and opportunistic. Their 'all things to all men' politics as promulgated by the arch opposition fraud Anwar is coming home to roost.

Pakatan Harapan will lose the next election through their own unprincipled and farcical politics.

Spirit of Malaya: I was also initially upset with PKR's decision to maintain its relationship with PAS but Rafizi has a point here - Amanah is new while there is a segment of the Malay community who are religiously driven and could see no wrong in PAS, even though we do not agree to what Hadi Awang is doing.

Perhaps DAP should cool it until the election fever kicks in to see the real face of PAS. Who knows, by then it would have cemented a relationship with Umno. When that happens, kick them out.

Oh Ya?: All PKR cares is capturing Putrajaya at all cost, never mind the political principles.

Why is it so desperate that it must have an electoral pact with PAS that not only it does not subscribe to the Pakatan platform but is inclined towards joining Umno, its arch enemy?

Not to mention, it is now helmed by a bunch of ultra conservative ulama who are living in their small, little conclave that are totally not in sync with its counterparts and modern-day Malaysia?

So much so that its insistence in rejecting PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on gender ground, its return to racism and its stubbornness in wanting to implement hudud are the biggest turn-off for the non-Malay and moderate Malay voters.

These are fundamental issues that shouldn't be compromised. On the other hand, it is emotional of PKR to ignore them and insist on having a pact with PAS. And it will pay a dear price for taking this repugnant stance.

Unspin: Coming from the person who was responsible with the 'Kajang Move' fiasco, we should take Rafizi's strategy with a cup of salt.

I believe the real battle must be fought in East Malaysia, in particular Sarawak. PAS and Umno appeals to the same group of Malays so a three-corner fight with the treacherous PAS is not necessarily a bad thing.

Anthony Chan: PKR should work together with DAP to help Amanah to reach out to the Malay voters, especially by appointing them in the Selangor state government.

They should do this when there is still time before the next GE. The faster they dump PAS, the better for Pakatan to be united and be the force to be reckon with for the next GE.

Hbasill: Mind you, the non-Malays have largely made up their mind that if PAS remains in the coalition, they would only vote for DAP or Amanah and not even PKR, let alone PAS.

These surveys on the Malays are a waste of time. The Umno Malays who are fed up with Umno, will on election day be the first to vote for BN when the carrot is dangled in front of them as has been the trend all these years.

PAS is surviving on hardcore Islamic Malay votes which for Malaysia is unhealthy as extremism is on the rise, fuelled by both Umno and PAS. So who on earth would want PAS in a coalition other than BN, or maybe PKR.

Kim Quek: PKR has spelled out correctly its relationship with PAS on the one hand, and with Pakatan Harapan on the other.

The former is for achieving an electoral pact to avoid three-corner fights in future election, while the latter is a sold partnership aimed at winning the next election and forming the next government.

Malaysian politics is moving at fast pace, with major events developing rapidly with unpredictable outcome, such as PM Najib Razak’s mega scandals, Umno’s internal rift, Umno-PAS relationship, potential dissension within PAS, the National Security Council Bill, potential economic, financial and fiscal crises, etc.

How these events evolve can significantly impact on the political chess board.

It is important that, amid these swirling events, Pakatan Harapan quickly consolidates and builds up a cohesive collective leadership as foundation to launch its campaign among the masses.

With Umno-BN going from bad to worse in every aspect under Najib’s failed leadership, this is the best time ever to fulfil the Malaysian dream of turning a new leaf for the country.

Freemsia: I totally agree with Rafizi. Or else we should see BN ruling till GE17.

'Better to lose Putrajaya than to tango with PAS'

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