PN lost in Ayer Kuning due to arrogance, wrong strategies - Ibrahim

PN lost in Ayer Kuning due to arrogance, wrong strategies - Ibrahim


Published: Apr 27, 2025 1:42 PM
Updated: 3:42 PM



Summary

• Ibrahim Ali says PN lost in the Ayer Kuning by-election as its leaders refused to accept feedback and had a bad campaign strategy.

• The Putra chief says the opposition should have capitalised on cost of living issues instead of playing up racial sentiments.

Perikatan Nasional's defeat in the Ayer Kuning by-election yesterday was caused by the arrogance of its leaders, claimed Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) president Ibrahim Ali.

In a statement, he said PN leaders refused to accept feedback from other stakeholders about strategies to win the polls.

“PN leaders were arrogant and never gave attention to input from stakeholders about strategies and issues.

“If you continue to behave like this, then BN and Pakatan Harapan, especially the prime minister (Anwar Ibrahim), can win the 16th general election easily.

“PN can continue daydreaming. There is a lot more that I can say. (But) we are from the poor group, so enough for now,” he said.

Ibrahim, also known as Tok Him, was commenting on the by-election outcome, which saw BN retaining the Perak state seat.

The polls saw BN candidate Mohamad Yusri receiving 11,065 votes to win by 5,006 against PN’s Muhaimin Malek (6,059) and PSM’s Bawani KS (1,106).

‘BN-Harapan win unsurprising’

Adding further, Ibrahim said many have expected the BN-Harapan pact to win Ayer Kuning, given the voting trend there during the previous elections.

However, he said PN had been too aggressive in its “UmDAP” campaign and playing up the issue of pig farms in the area, causing the non-Malays to shy away.

“By playing up these issues, PN had actually given BN a free advantage because they caused the Chinese voters to hate PN while Umno’s hardcore supporters from the Malay section continue to support BN, regardless of whatever issue they face,” he said.

Ibrahim claimed that money politics and the role played by government agencies had also helped BN to defend the seat, as the Malays, especially those from the B40 group, could not break ties with whichever party was in power.

“This has been how the Malays survive, it has always been like this, aided by RM200, RM500, or RM1,000 they get every time there is a by-election.

“The opposing parties also do this, but they cannot match what the ruling party can give,” he claimed.

Ibrahim said PN should have used the cost of living as its main weapon in the by-election.

He said price hikes and the lack of local rice in the market are real and show the government has failed to help the rakyat.

“If only PN carried this issue as their main weapon, because it would be seen as defending all races, because everybody is affected by the rise in costs of living.

“But instead, they played up ‘UmDAP’ and pig farms; this was a dumb strategy. Harping on sentiments is a way of the past,” he said.