PM Anwar Ibrahim's recent shift in focus to the international arena, especially the Palestinian cause, has certainly left many non-Malays somewhat disenchanted; and coupled with the stop-start “reform” initiatives, a slow moving economy and poor administration, it's no surprise that the outcome of the recent Merdeka Centre poll has reaffirmed his declining popularity - with his approval rating now at only 50 per cent!
In fact, even earlier this month Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin had observed that a majority of Malaysians want Perikatan Nasional (PN) to take over the federal government; albeit his “prophecy” may have been solely based on a slew of comments he had gleaned from the social media.
The Larut MP then went on to declare that the government has failed and that in reality it has not considered anything that is beneficial for the rakyat's future.
Meanwhile, another top PN leader to predict the unity government’s impending downfall is Wan Ahmad Fayhsal; last Thursday Sinar Daily had quoted the Machang MP as saying that non-Malay voters may stop supporting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim if the unity government fails to deliver on bread and butter issues.
The Bersatu youth chief enthused that it is not impossible for Pakatan Harapan’s traditional support base, especially the Chinese voters, to consider pledging their support to Perikatan Nasional if the government fails to perform.
He boldly stated that the non-Malays were more pragmatic than the Malay voters, adding that the most important thing for them was for the government to deliver on issues related to their livelihoods and the economy.
Could he be right? Have Pakatan Harapan's supporters and its leaders been lulled into a false sense of security just because they have an overwhelming majority in Parliament?
Considering the slow reforms, the apparent inability to come out with any potent measures to boost the local economy and the over-emphasis on the crisis in the Middle-east, at the expense of problems in our own backyard, aren’t these all tangible signs that the country may not be on the right trajectory?
Most significantly, shouldn't PM Anwar find the right candidate to take over his finance minister's portfolio? Moreover, what's the point of appointing two deputies when the boss makes all the economic decisions?
Come to think of it, recently even the former Bank Negara Malaysia's deputy governor Sukhdave Singh had remarked matter-of-factly that the country’s leaders have been criticised for spending excessive time on foreign relation ventures that may not yield significant economic benefits.
He added that they have undermined themselves and the country by playing to popular sentiments of gullible citizens domestically and internationally to countries with a minimal stake in Malaysia's economy; he further warned that it is important to maintain strong ties with economically strategic nations failing which Malaysia itself might one day need global financial assistance!
But on the other hand, for the past one year, has the opposition offered any concrete proposals or solutions to mend the nation’s economy? Therefore, what guarantee is there that things will improve if indeed the majority of the country’s voters switched their support to the opposition?
All this while too, they have been harping on inconsequential and controversial issues such as “Malays losing their political power”, cancelling of pop concerts and about giving moral support to unmarried women; in fact, recently one of their top leaders even went so far as to propose “polygamy” as a tool to address the problem of the increasing number of unmarried women; and of all places, he had to raise the issue in Parliament - literally for the whole world to see and laugh at!
And what about their Kepala Batas MP (a PhD holder) who turned the local history books upside down by claiming that DAP's top leaders were related to the late communist leader Chin Peng and that most DAP leaders were inter-related? She even got the name and the actual designation of the late founder of Singapore wrong - calling him Lim Kuan Yew and stating that he was their Ketua Menteri! (Did she confuse Singapore with Melaka?)
True, the economy may be moving at a snail's pace and there may be many things wrong with the country right now, but it’s only a year since the new government came to power. Honestly, what exactly did the previous two governments under PN achieve during their tenure to convince the public that they can save this country?
In truth, if there’s anything that puts off the non-Malays, especially the Chinese in this country - it's definitely the subject of race and religion and those who have a fetish for it! (Psst: Maybe, PM Anwar has to watch his steps here too!)
And of course, as many might still recall, during their previous reign, they even closed the Parliament and abruptly declared an Emergency, although it was frowned upon by the Agong; bearing in mind all that, how sure are they that the Chinese will really turn to them to protect the community's rice bowl?
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