YOURSAY | ‘Just because Za’aba is no longer a party member, it does not mean PAS has no moral obligation.’

Voter faces bankruptcy after PAS' election petition fails

Mamadias: Since Pulai voter Za’aba Ibrahim was a plaintiff during his days in PAS, the party has a moral obligation to pay his legal fees as he challenged the election results on behalf of the party.

Just because he is no longer a party member, it does not mean PAS has no moral obligation to Za’aba.

Trump: Quite fair I think, as Salahuddin Ayub was the party that put Za'aba up to it, and that was when both were in PAS.

Now Salahuddin has left for Amanah and he took Za’aba with him, why should PAS pay the legal fees?

Léon Moch: When the petition was filed, it was done in PAS' name and PAS promised to pay. Now PAS reneged on its promise solely due to vindictive reasons. Religious party, you say? Please.

Ayfy19: Yes, it’s a party without principles. The court action was clearly entered on their behalf. Be fair and honest. But it looks like integrity and honesty seem to be a rare quality for the party.

Fair&Just: This is PAS - always break/transgress on their promises. Just look at how it broke their promises when it was in Pakatan Rakyat.

A man's word is his bond. PAS is hiding behind religion but their real face is slowly being revealed like the tail of a fox.

Spirit of Malaya: We all voted for PAS because it pretended to be inclusive - PAS for All, they said. Perhaps the progressives in PAS then were cheated by the ulama.

Anyway, it's water under the bridge now and we should all give our undivided support to Amanah and Pakatan Harapan because we have no choice.

Strudels: I believe we should not only help Za’aba. We should donate to Amanah to help this party reach its goal since the party is young and without the financial resources.

I suggest we donate to Amanah and let the party do what is necessary. Amanah should take the lead and provide its bank account number so that it can start preparing for the next GE.

Awang Top: Donation done. All the best and hidup Amanah!

Korkor: I, too, have just done my part in making a small donation. I hope all can help.

Learn from BN how to work as a coalition, MIC leader tells opposition

Clever Voter: Getting consensus from a diverse group of parties - each with its own values and principles - will always be a challenge.

BN never had it easy at its inception with disagreements that led to expulsion of PAP. Accommodating everyone's agenda is a lengthy process.

Unless you have 99 percent self-serving politicians which is the case now in BN, any potential conflict is minimised. In today’s imperfect and fragmented system, it's already commendable to have most establishing some understanding.

The Analyser: To work together, a coalition must have an agreed philosophy which addresses all the contention issues long before there can be any agreement on minor issues (see Penang).

But when any Malaysian coalition is a mixture of races, religions and (insecure) personalities, and when they have to deal with a community which is split apart by past government decisions, there is no way that any form of agreement will be possible.

The alternative is to avoid contentions issues and that is how opposition coalitions have failed in the past, because those issues will always come back to haunt you.

Or have the decision making done by an autocrat who uses money to get his way, and that is not possible in the present opposition parties because of selfishness and miserliness.

Fairnsquare: Sadly, MIC leader Vell Paari, BN is the biggest failure. While tasked to protect the interests of its various communities, it works to justify misuse of power and unfair practices of the Umno-controlled BN.

Communal thinking and the divide and rule introduced by the colonialists and further enhanced by the BN is failing, hence causing the diversities which Harapan is manoeuvring through.

This is what a true coalition should do. Harapan's struggle is about finding the right direction, but the BN's direction is simple - money.

Soon there will be no more illiterates left to support MIC. Indeed, you will need to learn from the current opposition.

KKKSSS: Yes, we know that (how BN managed their coalition), but we do not have means to do another 1MDB, hence "money is king" is out of question.

P Dev Anand Pillai: Perhaps what should be understood by Vell Paari is that coalitions are just political accommodations for a common goal, which is to govern. The BN coalition is nothing but a single party-led coalition where Umno calls the shots.

Compare that with what we see in Tamil Nadu politics, which is what most Tamils here are familiar with, the late CM J Jayalalithaa always made numerous political accommodations with smaller parties to ensure that she had the upper hand against her political adversaries led by the DMK coalition.

So what is the big deal here? Everyone knows the value of MIC's advice. Without Malay votes, it can't win. So whether the opposition wins or loses, at least the people know that they will not be taken for a ride.

Anonymous 23651434356067: Hello Sir, please do not try to fool us again. Your father even cried when former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad was hospitalised and now you are condemning him.

The numbers within BN is dwindling, especially those in MIC, MCA and Gerakan. What is there to learn from BN or MIC anymore? People have learned enough.

MIC will be one day just be like an old ruined building. Remember that Indians will become a very small minority with even foreigners taking over the third place.

Anonymous 637541435986091: Does MIC have a say? No, period.

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