YOURSAY | 'How can a 'rojak' party with no clear purpose except to topple Najib be good for Malaysia?'

Broad opposition bloc most important thing now, says Saifuddin

Kim Quek: Pakatan Harapan chief secretary Saifuddin Abdullah, you have the right approach. Form a grand alliance to face off Umno/BN.

Such a grand alliance, which may consist of parties and entities of all shades and beliefs, are common among European democracies; and they have successfully governed their countries.

Members of the grand alliance should share the common objectives of

a) Taking over from the current corrupt regime.

b) Bringing in good governance and restoring justice.

Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan must work fast to develop a cohesive collective leadership and step up activities at grassroots level in anticipation of an imminent general election.

Drngsc: Saifuddin, I am surprised by your naivete. How can a 'rojak' party with no clear purpose except to topple Prime Minister Najib Razak be good for Malaysia?

Let’s say that they manage to bring Najib down, then what? What say they manage to win GE14 and when given the task to rule the country, they split up and retreat to their shells, or even worse, they form an alliance with Umno/BN? Then what?

Anyway, although Najib should be replaced, the real problem is Umno. The corrupt, racist and Islamic policies of Umno, so strongly written by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is the problem.

You must ask yourself, can a rojak party rule Malaysia? Is that fair for Malaysia? Yes, we'd like Najib and Umno/BN to go and be replaced. But do you wish a rojak party to take over?

It is less convenient and more difficult, but Pakatan Harapan is the way to go. We must build up Harapan, no shortcuts please.

Lord Denning: This team seems hell-bent on removing BN, like every other opposition pact which had lost. What do they have in store for Malaysia?

They don't even have a proper front bench with a unified voice on key issues and solid alternate policies that are taken consistently to the public.

Malaysia is not doomed because of BN. It is doomed by a clueless alternate team which has no idea on how to achieve power, with only three policies: 1) Bark, 2) Run around like headless chickens, and 3) Bark some more.

Hang Babeuf: I have said it before and I will say it again: what Malaysia needs now is not a new party but a new politics.

When that has been accomplished, or is in the process of being realised from the bottom up, new forms of and vehicles for politics - a new national politics of free and active citizens - including new parties will emerge from that deep [but essential] process.

Not Convinced: To build Harapan from the ground up may take at least 10 years. That means Harapan hardliners will have to forgo at least two general elections, perhaps even three. By that time, Malaysia would have gone to the dogs.

The disparate opposition has to win power now. Building a grand coalition may be the only option. Even if the new government is not a stable one, an out-of-power BN cannot survive.
Deprived of ‘donation’, it will disintegrate.

Yes, the new government may fall but at least we will have a defanged BN. With that, we have a more level-playing field for all parties.

Anonymous Hotplate: To form a new party with ex-Umno leaders and some Umno fence sitters is okay, as their main aim is to kick out Najib and not BN.

Pakatan Harapan's objective is different, they should be united to be a strong party to take over from BN and save our beloved nation from the hands of the ruling regime that has widespread corruption, mega financial scandals, racial and religious discrimination and a lack of good governance.

Quigonbond: Saifuddin, you know it is not in doubt that Harapan would want nothing more than a united opposition. But reality remains PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is not playing ball.

So where do we go from there? The longer we wait for a united opposition, the more we lose in terms of having a unified, consistent and focussed message to take to the rural folks.

Before you go to the ground campaigning, you need to have a clear message of what's really

wrong with this country, and how the opposition is going to fix it when they come to power.

What's the use of working the ground if you can't even get a clear message together as to whether PAS is friend or foe? We have to draw the line at some point in time - the sooner the better.

Enlighten Others: First, the opposition must maintain Pakatan Harapan unity and its model to take over from BN for good. Never compromise on that.

Seize the opportunity, work with other like-minded parties, but always be clear from the start who will play the more central role in the government if it succeeds in winning.

Sans Blinkers: The country really needs young leaders like Saifuddin who speaks sense, but the veteran leaders with lots of ego are still calling the shots today.

If, for once, all the veteran leaders can throw away their egos, prejudices, past misjudgements (a kind term) in the waste bin and think of the good of the country and the welfare of all the rakyat, it offers the country fresh hope and a potential opportunity for these leaders to regain public esteem.

If the veteran leaders can lead a team to reclaim the country and eventually hand power to a new generation of fair, farsighted, liberal and trustworthy Malaysian leaders, the present and next many generations of Malaysians will be grateful to them.

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