Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said it was part of the coalition’s ‘strategy’ to name its chief minister candidate later.
PETALING JAYA: A chief minister-designate is critical to win over fence-sitters, and Perikatan Nasional’s decision to name its candidate for the Melaka polls at the eleventh hour is “a huge blunder”, say analysts.
In particular, it gives the impression that PN is still undecided about who to put forward as the their choice for chief minister.
Former academic Azmi Hassan and James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute both say the electorate would like to know who they are voting for.
Azmi said when voters go to the polls, ballots won’t just be for the party of the possible chief minister. The choice of a chief minister-designate was critical for winning over fence-sitters.
He said that delaying the announcement would give the impression that PN is still undecided about who to name as their candidate. “It doesn’t inspire confidence in voters that PN can bring about stability to Melaka should it form the state government. So it’s a huge blunder on PN’s part,” he told FMT.
There was a need to show that PN, comprising many parties, was united as a coalition, Azmi said, as there were rumours that PN was split on the chief ministership, alluding to talk that Rafiq Naizamohideen and Mas Ermieyati Samsudin were in the running for the post.
Mas Ermieyati has since brushed off the claims.
“To wait till the eve of the polls to announce their candidate will demonstrate that there are factions within PN, especially on this particular matter. That’s the perception,” Azmi said.
Chin said it was a “really bad idea” to wait until the eve as people would like to know who they were voting for. “If PN delays until the eve of the election, it will paint them in a very bad light,” he said.
Political scientist Wong Chin Huat said PN’s decision only showed how unprepared it was, and that this would damage voters’ confidence in the coalition’s readiness to run the state.
If PN had a good candidate, the person should be revealed early so voters will be familiar with the candidate. “There are no brownie points for being coy,” he said.
The delay would create the impression that PN was not serious about the elections or would raise suspicions of infighting between Mas Ermieyati and Rafiq, like the supposed rift between former chief minister Idris Haron and Melaka Umno chief Ab Rauf Yusoh.
Idris was among the four who had retracted support for Sulaiman Md Ali as chief minister, which led to the state assembly being dissolved.
“And voters will fear that the next government may collapse if PN wins,” said Wong.
On Friday, PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said it was part of the coalition’s “strategy” to announce its chief minister candidate later, but confirmed it would be from Bersatu.
PETALING JAYA: A chief minister-designate is critical to win over fence-sitters, and Perikatan Nasional’s decision to name its candidate for the Melaka polls at the eleventh hour is “a huge blunder”, say analysts.
In particular, it gives the impression that PN is still undecided about who to put forward as the their choice for chief minister.
Former academic Azmi Hassan and James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute both say the electorate would like to know who they are voting for.
Azmi said when voters go to the polls, ballots won’t just be for the party of the possible chief minister. The choice of a chief minister-designate was critical for winning over fence-sitters.
He said that delaying the announcement would give the impression that PN is still undecided about who to name as their candidate. “It doesn’t inspire confidence in voters that PN can bring about stability to Melaka should it form the state government. So it’s a huge blunder on PN’s part,” he told FMT.
There was a need to show that PN, comprising many parties, was united as a coalition, Azmi said, as there were rumours that PN was split on the chief ministership, alluding to talk that Rafiq Naizamohideen and Mas Ermieyati Samsudin were in the running for the post.
Mas Ermieyati has since brushed off the claims.
“To wait till the eve of the polls to announce their candidate will demonstrate that there are factions within PN, especially on this particular matter. That’s the perception,” Azmi said.
Chin said it was a “really bad idea” to wait until the eve as people would like to know who they were voting for. “If PN delays until the eve of the election, it will paint them in a very bad light,” he said.
Political scientist Wong Chin Huat said PN’s decision only showed how unprepared it was, and that this would damage voters’ confidence in the coalition’s readiness to run the state.
If PN had a good candidate, the person should be revealed early so voters will be familiar with the candidate. “There are no brownie points for being coy,” he said.
The delay would create the impression that PN was not serious about the elections or would raise suspicions of infighting between Mas Ermieyati and Rafiq, like the supposed rift between former chief minister Idris Haron and Melaka Umno chief Ab Rauf Yusoh.
Idris was among the four who had retracted support for Sulaiman Md Ali as chief minister, which led to the state assembly being dissolved.
“And voters will fear that the next government may collapse if PN wins,” said Wong.
On Friday, PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said it was part of the coalition’s “strategy” to announce its chief minister candidate later, but confirmed it would be from Bersatu.
The videos and photographs of Bersatu, UMNO and PAS leader leaving the Sheraton meeting say it all.....grinning from ear to ear like Cheshire Cats... they were all clearly Active Co-Conspirators.
ReplyDeleteJust don't pretend UMNO was a passive bystander, just because you have now fallen out with each other.