Ex-PKR vice-president slams the three-way BN-PN-Bersatu contest, questioning how a divided opposition could govern Negeri Sembilan cohesively.
PETALING JAYA: Former PKR vice-president Datuk Dr Xavier Jayakumar has issued an open letter to voters ahead of the Negeri Sembilan state election on August 1, urging the electorate to reject what he described as race and religion-based narratives being pushed by the Barisan Nasional (BN)-Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance and a breakaway Bersatu faction.
In the statement, today, Xavier questioned the renewed emphasis on “Malay unity” in the campaign, arguing that key institutions — including the civil service, police, armed forces, government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) — remain Malay-majority, and that all Malaysians, regardless of ethnicity, continue to accept the special privileges enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
The former Kuala Langat MP also criticised what he characterised as attempts to politicise the Tabung Haji Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) findings and suggestions by certain quarters to seek an earlier release for former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, noting that Najib’s conviction was upheld by the Federal Court following a lengthy trial.
The former federal minister also took aim at the structure of the opposition alliance contesting the state election, noting that BN is fielding candidates in 25 of Negeri Sembilan’s 36 seats, PN is contesting the remaining 11 under an arrangement with BN, while Bersatu — though technically part of PN — has broken away to field 24 of its own candidates.
He argued that this three-way arrangement reflected internal divisions over leadership and succession, questioning how the grouping could govern cohesively if it cannot agree on direction while in opposition.
“BN is fielding candidates in 25 of the state’s 36 seats. PN is contesting the remaining 11 under an understanding with BN. Bersatu, though technically still part of PN, has broken away to field its own 24 candidates.
“Three flags, three sets of ambitions, one shared message of racial and religious grievance but no single, coherent plan for who would actually lead Negeri Sembilan if they somehow won.
“Even while out of power federally, and now scrambling for power here in Negeri Sembilan, these leaders cannot stop jostling among themselves over who will be the next Prime Minister a contest being fought in public, through proxies, and through open sniping at each other, long before any of them has earned the right to lead.
“If they cannot agree among themselves on leadership and direction while sitting in opposition, how can the rakyat of Negeri Sembilan possibly believe they could govern this state or the country together in unity?
“A coalition, or collection of coalitions, that cannot manage its own succession squabbles is in no position to lecture Negeri Sembilan voters about unity, stability, or who is fit to lead,” he said.
He defended Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s formation of the unity government, describing it as having been done in accordance with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s call, and noted that all of Malaysia’s prime ministers and deputy prime ministers to date have been Malay, with the Cabinet remaining Malay-majority.
Xavier urged Negeri Sembilan voters — Malay, Chinese, Indian and Orang Asli alike — to reject what he called racial and religious ideology at the ballot box, framing the state’s development as a product of unity among its diverse communities, and called on voters to make their decision on Aug 1 based on what he described as moral responsibility to future generations.
