PETALING JAYA: A Sabah MP has dismissed the notion that the impending six state elections are a referendum on the current government, adding that such claims were Malaya-centric.
In a statement, Wilfred Madius Tangau said the six states combined had about 45% of the national electorate.
“Why should the second decision they make on their own now invalidate the decision made by voters from all 13 Malaysian states just nine months ago?
“Do the voices of 55% of other Malaysian voters – in Sabah, Sarawak, five other Malayan states and three Federal Territories which are denied state-level elections – simply not count?”
SPONSORED CONTENT K.T.I. achieves RM140 million sales Kota Kinabalu: K.T.I. Sdn Bhd’s The Logg, Luyang has launched Easy Care, its brand-new hospitality initiative, which aims to elevate the living experience by providing an all–in-one care to its residents at Shorea n Astoria. Read more The Tuaran MP said the unity government was backed by 54 of 57 East Malaysian MPs from 11 Borneo parties as well as three national parties, namely PKR, DAP and Umno.
Tangau said the outcome of the six state polls would be an indicator for Putrajaya to “take note” of, “but such an indicator is not a referendum”.
He said if anything, the state elections would be a “referendum” of what voters hated at the state and local level.
By voting or abstaining from it, voters in Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan could choose to make their states resemble or remain distinct from Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu or vice-versa, Tangau said.
“State policies affect not only the rights and freedoms of their residents, but also economic prospects, especially in investments and tourism.”
He said the notion that the state polls were a referendum on the current government reeked of majoritarianism.
Tangau said majoritarianism was the belief that one deserved more respect and rights if they were part of a majority, adding that such thinking was dangerous.
Such line of thinking could lead to a numbers’ warfare between political and religious leaders on how to convert or co-opt followers of others, he said.
“And this is perhaps why PN wants to frame the six states’ elections as a national referendum. They are just desperate for power.”
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.