IN the aftermath of the massive state elections, the shock is evident among Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) voters who are finding it hard to digest the loss of 22 seats to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) and PAS.
They are saying it is now a wake-up call for PH in particular and are urging Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to move away from wooing conservatives in the country and to focus instead on his core voter base.
The debate was started by Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan who posted a brief post-mortem of the mixed results for the PH in Selangor.
It is easy to think that to counter this ‘green wave’ or whatever you want to call it, we must move further to the right.
I disagree.
The centre gave us this victory and helped defend the states; we should strengthen and expand our base; not move further away.
— Syahredzan Johan (@syahredzan) August 12, 2023
Most of the comments from his followers and supporters seem to agree with him.
A voter, replying to the Bangi MP saying:
Syah, we, your voters, had been telling this too many times that many of us lost hope and some didn’t even bother to vote again. PMX didn’t listen. Wake up call! You can’t win conservative votes.
— Hazy_Rain (@justalhafiz) August 13, 2023
Moreover, user @BrandonCHL said:
Very true. This state elections have shown that PH must no longer try to attract conservatives. Instead focus on core supporters and fence sitters. Lesson they need to learn now.
PMX & gomen as a whole have already tried everything for conservative votes. Including kitchen sink
— Brandon Chin (@BrandonCHL) August 13, 2023
Glad someone in the coalition can be vocal about this. Tell that to PMX though. He’s been swerving to the right lately. This is definitely not the reason we voted for PH.
— saw @thestrokes again and again (@zarasufian) August 13, 2023
Nevertheless, some users blamed UMNO and its president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the losses. – Aug 13, 2023
Right or left, zahid should let go his UMNO presidency to Tok Mat, that is the only way UMNO will surive and PH-UMNO can continues. Kalau tak, UMNO will only bring down PH aw what is happening in Sel.
— debunker (@00000q7) August 12, 2023
