SETBACKS faced by Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the past three by-elections, including in Ayer Kuning last Saturday (April 26) should serve as signals to the coalition, especially PAS, on the diminishing effectiveness of employing slander and fanning racial sentiments as strategies for electoral gains, said a DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) leader.
Its national vice chief Raja Ahmad Iskandar Fareez said instead of blaming voters and the Election Commission for the lower turnout as stated by PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, the party should focus on stepping up its role as the “government-in-waiting”, coming up with alternative visions and ideas to solve issues faced by the people.
“Despite forming a shadow cabinet since February 2023, there have been no concrete policy counterproposals or alternative budgets to demonstrate how PN can better serve Malaysians,” Iskandar Fareez noted.
“While PAS and Bersatu continued to lock horns over their prime ministerial candidate for the next general election, voters are still longing to see what this so-called government-in-waiting actually has to offer.”
He said as a member of the opposition, PAS continued to sow communal suspicions through slanders or claims without factual backing.
“This has led to instances where its leaders were suspended from the state assembly such as the Perak PAS Commissioner or ordered to pay damages as in the case of Kepala Batas MP (Siti Mastura Muhammad),” he remarked.
“Yet, their leaders were still in denial. Till the very last moment of Ayer Kuning campaign, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor continued to pin the blame on DAP and tried to sweep under the carpet his party’s track record of fuelling division and disunity.”
Iskandar Fareez further pointed out that for the sake of all Malaysians PAS should play its part in lowering the nation’s political temperature and called for the Islamist party to demonstrate to voters its ability to be a nation builder that provides constructive check and balance.
“Malaysia requires an all-hands-on-deck approach for us to successfully navigate external challenges including global supply-chain realignment, emerging trade tensions and great power competitions that increasingly impact our livelihoods, economy, and security,” he continued.
“The people expect leadership from all political parties that rise above narrow interests and delivers inclusive, forward-looking governance.
“Let these setbacks from recent by-elections serve as wake-up calls for PAS and PN: it is time to embrace a more constructive form of politics.”
In the recent Ayer Kuning by-election, Tapah UMNO secretary Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir secured 11,065 votes, defeating PN’s Abd Muhaimin Malek and KS Bawani of Parti Sosialis Malaysia with a majority of 5,006 votes.
Abd Muhaimin garnered 6,059 votes, while Bawani received 1,106. – April 30, 2025
Main image: Bernama
