YOURSAY | ‘The opposition pact has lost a golden opportunity because of betrayal within.’

Find your marbles before next GE, opposition told

Pemerhati: Dr Kua Kia Soong’s analysis comes after the elections results. It is easy to come to wise conclusions after the results are known.

Kua has however completely overlooked the dramatic new development, which is that PAS is now in the same bed as Umno. After seeing the results of the two by-elections Najib Abdul Razak would be greatly encouraged to continue to share a bed with PAS.

This is simply because PAS would be very useful in the next elections as they can be asked to split the opposition votes by engaging in three-cornered fights and thus ensure BN’s victory in the marginal seats. This would significantly enhance the chances of BN getting a two-thirds majority.

Najib would then be able to change the constitution and might even agree to the implementation of hudud to keep his bedmate happy.

Najib will probably reason that there is no harm if some people get their limbs chopped off under God’s law as long as he can continue with his activities.

Ah-hah!!!: Kua has failed in his analysis. While it is generally accepted that split votes for the opposition as in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar will benefit BN, Kua has not apparently considered the belligerent attitude of Abdul Hadi Awang, who simply refused anything but to contest both seats.

Even when offered the option of PAS contesting one while Amanah ran for the other, he did not budge. It seems to me Hadi could not care less if BN won with a multi-cornered fight. Perhaps due to his bromance with Najib? Some deal made? Anger towards Amanah?

Whatever, there was no choice but for Amanah to contest or leave PAS the dangerous possibility that they ask voters to vote for BN instead of PAS candidates.

As for "to avoid three-cornered fights... DAP might apportion some seats to Amanah", I'd say the first thing PAS will do is to jump in and split the votes again - a suggestion which has zero merit.

Sound Mind: Oppositions parties against the ruling parties are opposing themselves. What kind of opposition parties are they?

The people decided to vote for BN because they are fed up with the opposition parties. BN took the advantage of the situation and now got credit where it actually does not deserve.

An average intelligent person knows that even voting any of the two opposition parties will be a waste of time because neither will win.

You think an average intelligent person goes out to waste his or her time to see which among the two opposition parties is stronger?

The opposition pact has lost a golden opportunity because of betrayal within the group at the expense of the people who trusted them.

Unspin: If the race for the presidential nominee of the US Democratic Party is any guide, Bernie Sanders came from nowhere to give Hillary Clinton a run for her money.

His critical success factor was to stir up the emotions of many first-time voters in the 17-29 age range.

Pakatan Harapan has to do the same here to have any chance of defeating BN in GE14. A consequence of gravitating towards younger voters is that leaders who are ‘stale’ or ‘past their expiry date’ have to step aside for younger leaders.

For example, Lim Kit Siang - who together with the late Karpal Singh is/was the face of the opposition for the last 50 years - has to make way for, say, Lim Guan Eng (provided he can control his perceived arrogance), Gobind Singh Deo or Tony Pua.

The same goes for Anwar Ibrahim and other senior citizens in PKR.

Malaccan: I don't understand the tirade against Pakatan Harapan leaders as if they could do more to press for a straight fight. Better if the ire was addressed to PAS, except that it would not appear fashionably neutral to some.

Harapan did well to put up a common candidate. They tried but couldn't ensure PAS stayed out of the race as much as they could ensure BN stayed out.

Pundits might as well blame Harapan for not convincing BN to stand down. What Kua and other commentators overlook is that PAS isn't part of the opposition, nor does it want to be.

It is running alongside BN as a spoiler; to hunt with the hounds and run with the hares. It is simple-minded to more than hope an agreement could have been hammered between Harapan and PAS, when the latter has been hostile and petulant in doing what it wants.

PAS or BN winning would be as bad. PAS mustn't be counted among the opposition as it is only interested to bargain for its meagre survival and its leaders' selfish goals. It has abandoned the fight for a better and united Malaysia.

SSG: It is my considered opinion the respected Lim Kit Siang made a strategic error in judgment by shaking hands with Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

I do believe if Karpal Singh had been alive, he would have vetoed this act, or whatever you may call it. You would have noticed that all three of Karpal Singh's sons were never around to endorse this.

It is also my considered opinion that just as in the US elections, they say Donald Trump is Hilary Clinton's secret weapon, in the case of Malaysia, I say with confidence that Najib's secret weapon is Dr M.

PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail did the right thing by not responding to Dr M's invitation to have a chit-chat and a photography session. She must have followed the advice of Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar had already said in one interview with the press during the last GE that it was his opinion that Dr M did not have much influence any more in Umno. Why did they not keep this in mind?

Wan Azizah had correctly noted that it was Dr M who was weak and needed help. But why help someone like Dr M?

Ksn: I wish all the opposition parties except PAS read the comments about the former PM and act in future by avoiding this man, shun him, do not give him any room in any of their activities.

If they do, it will work against their interest in the future. Come to your senses by taking to heart the damage that this man did to the country. Just ignore him. Do not play into his trickery for his selfish interests.

Mafeeah: I find that Kua does not face reality but writes in fantasy. He has simply ignored or perhaps lost his own marbles when he thinks all those who do not vote for BN will vote for PAS.

There are many voters who have requested for alternatives to both BN and PAS as they do not trust the two. Hence putting Amanah was the correct move since they were to replace PAS in the coalition.

The only regret I have is PKR should have contested Sungai Besar and leave Kuala Kangsar to Amanah.

Even if it was a straight fight, BN will win with a bigger majority because the non-Muslims will not vote for PAS and reject hudud. That's pretty simple isn't it, Kua?

Hank Marvin: While some of the points made by Kua were valid, he must realise that he is no longer there in the ring. He just did not know what was like to be there.

And Kua was a DAP drop-out. He is a good analyst but a very bad politician.

HaveAGreatDay: Kua, your hard-hitting comments are one-sided - it is obvious you're a political commentator with an axe to grind.

Are you suggesting Pakatan stand aside for PAS? It is obvious PAS and Umno are already in cahoots with one another.

But yes, Pakatan has to find its marbles. The only question is what type of marbles?

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