PAS has what I call the Uthayakumar Syndrome. The Bagan Pinang by-election outcome could perhaps be a timely reminder to PAS not to be ultra-sombong (hubristic).
PAS has had this propensity to run away with its perception of its own electable worth – it did exactly that after its 1999 victory, riding on the back of public sympathy for Dr Wan Azizah, but immediately forgetting it was Dr Wan Azizah who was the real winning factor.
PAS had a swift hard slap in 2004 to wake it up from its runaway political hubris.
Similarly in 2008, after sharing the spoils of the tsunamic revolution, many of its hardliners like Hadi Awang, Nasharuddin, Hassan Ali took their candidates' electability for granted, either forgetting the non-Muslim votes in tricky places like Bukit Gantang, Permatang Pasir, Kuala Terengganu, etc had been the decisive factor, or taking for granted that the non-Muslims would continue to hate UMNO more than they fear or despise PAS.
I call it the Uthayakumar Syndrome because the bloke who (initially) had so magnificently marshalled the Indians into the formidable force that Hindraf once was, took for granted that Indian support would always be solidly behind him, and therefore he would continue to be the Optimus Prime he has come to see himself as.
Thus hubris set in, and he became an unreasonable ‘spoilt brat’, demanding and expecting Pakatan pollies, like Lim Guan Eng and Professor Ramasamy to immediately kowtow to his every beck and call.
And my god, the tantrums, taunts and threats he threw at them when those mere mortals had the blooming impertinent cheek to refuse his deigned divine demands. Hey, didn’t they realize his Indian supporters had stooped down to touch his feet when he was released?
Back to PAS, Dr Hassan Ali’s unilateral actions, conduct and utterances as a Selangor State exco member, whether on the beer issue or Selcat affair had been those borne by a man of invincible hubris. The blind support of his PAS Youth and the two ‘Malay unity’ leaders from the East Coast have made him even more intransigent.
It has not only been the non-Muslim suspicion but also the despair of his more knowledgeable PAS colleagues like Khalid Samad that Hassan Ali and unfortunately by default PAS cannot be relied upon as a reliable member of Pakatan.
I cannot say much about the Indian votes in Bagan Pinang but if you’re interested you could ask Samy Vellu, S Subramanian, Palanivel, Murugiah, Thanenthiran, and perhaps even Uthayakumar, etc etc, and all these people will no doubt provide you with their take on the over 70% swing to UMNO, even allowing for the popularity of Isa Samad as the popular ‘local boy’ wakakaka.
But the Chinese votes? Yes, the majority went to Isa Samad despite Lim Guan Eng and various DAP luminaries campaigning there.
For a start, PAS candidate Zulkefly Mohamad Omar is not PAS Mohamad Nizar. Secondly, while DAP support for PAS candidates had certainly been a great boost it couldn’t, as proven in Bagan Pinang, be taken as an automatic guarantee of overwhelming non-Muslim support.
As a Penang bloke, I have seen (or been told) how Penang Chinese voters had punished in turns the MCA and the once-much-loved Gerakan. The DAP should draw a lesson on this, that assumption of support from the Chinese should be based on:
(a) Why they had (in the first place) supported a party?
(b) Would they continue to support that party (eg. PAS), or have the influencing factors changed?
(c) Is there another party or individual who far more merits their support?
I would not be too far wrong if I were to say that Chinese usually vote either to maintain the status quo or to punish.
So don’t ever be hubristic, presumptuous or only see things through your own pollies’ eyes.
come GE13, pas tak akan dapat non-muslims' votes !
ReplyDeleteGE13 DAP will most of his seats, we will make sure that DAP is punished for KBP.
ReplyDeletethe way kampung buah pala was handled by the ego-king lim guan eng jackass.i am not surprise .but do worry dap,we indians are still going to kick your proud hard ass again and again.oh! and do write more to insult the indians as you are very clever in doing so.
ReplyDeleteA blogger - Syed Akbar Ali - in his blog (syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.com) wrote:
ReplyDelete"[In] Bagan Pinang, it is obvious that the Opposition fielded a candidate from the wrong party - PAS. When Hadi [Awang] dropped by there was no crowd. But there was the usual large gathering to listen to Anwar. If the Opposition had fielded a PKR candidate he may have done better.
"In the West Coast States, fielding PAS candidates is going to become a bigger problem for the Opposition. The PAS are more suited for the folks who are more into religion and who do not contribute much to the GNP."
And Joceline Tan in her column (TheStar Online, Monday,12 October) pointed out this very pertinent fact when discussing the reasons for the thrashing PAS received at the hands of the voters in Bagan Pinang:
"Part of PAS’ problem has to do with pragmatism of a population that subsisted on the tourism industry.
Many families in Bagan Pinang have one or more members working in the tourism trade and they instinctively know that PAS is not going to be as supportive of tourism as Isa would given the numerous instances of PAS politicians protesting against anything that spells of fun or entertainment."
Seeing how PAS members routinely created a furious ruckus each time a foreign pop concert was planned to be held locally, non-Muslims would have felt a chill down their spine when they realize that when PAS comes to power they would not hesitate to impose their religious values on everyone, regardless.
From their actions it would appear that these ultra religious folks are intent on driving this nation down the path taken by the Talibans and the humourless, conservative Wahabis of Saudi Arabia. And this thought naturally sends an icy knife of fear through the hearts of all non-Muslims.
Its is a timely wake up call, after more than a year what have PR done? Their talks are mostly empty rhetoric. Surely they started clean, but now they have tons of dirt in their baggage. GE 13 will be a difference ball game, their dirts will be brought to light where else in the GE 12 they have none.
ReplyDeleteThey did not use the opportunity to strengthen their foundation with caliber govern instead weaken it by the dirts and poor govern.
Look like UMNO will out smart them all and Najib have the momentum. MIC will be sidestepped as Samy Vellu is not welcome. Gerakan who hear nothing, see nothing and do nothing will depend solely on UMNO dominance and just follow the flow where UMNO is heading. Probably they need people like OTK capability to strengthen their backbone.
The most stupid is MCA, instead of taking stock during the break to correct all those weaknesses which is an opportunity for them to gain strength to stay ahead, they dynamite their own ship for it to sink.
the cow-head issue is religious & pas is A parti agama so...so 42% increse from the non-muslims laa, OK !
ReplyDeleteRakyat menangkan PR kerana benci BN bukan kerana jatuh cinta pada politik PR.
ReplyDeleteRakyat kaum bukan melayu bukan benci rasuah yang diamalkan pemimpin BN tetapi benci kerana ketidak-adilan terpaksa menjadi mangsa racist, diskriminasi dan rasuah harian yang amat berleluasa dilakukan oleh golangan makan gaji kerajaan.
Kalau BN mau sokongan padu kaum bukan melayu pada PRU13, BN perlu maju kehadapan menubuhkan jawatankuasa di setiap negeri untuk menyelesaikan masalah serius yang dihadapi kaum bukan melayu. Anggota jawatankuasa perlu dianggotai sama rata 3 kaum terbesar dari golongan yang berwibawa (bukan golongan politik) untuk menerima ADUAN kaum bukan melayu kerana:
1. SPRM tidak dipercayai oleh kaum bukan melayu.
2. Polis kini sudah tidak boleh diharap walau apa sekali pun dengan lencana dan slogan-slogan nya.
3. Wakil kepada Wakil raykat UMNO buat tak tau kalau masalah kaum bukan melayu.
4. Wakil dan Wakil Rakyat bukan UMNO yang terkenal sebagai Penjilat hanya lalat perosak bukan pembina.
5. Wakil Rakyat UMNO dan Bukan UMNO mengangihkan bantuan rakyat secara tersembunyi hanya kepada sesama makluknya sahaja.
Apa makna 1Malaysia kalau hanya nama dan tabur duit.
Menang di BP tak genti menang PRU13 dan tabur duit pun tak gerenti BN menang seperti pada PRK yang lepas-lepas.
BN perlu tangkas maju kehadapan membina rakyak SeMalaysia sebelum PR maju menbenamkan BN.
Anak Malaysia.
"It has not only been the non-Muslim suspicion but also the despair of his more knowledgeable PAS colleagues like Khalid Samad that Hassan Ali and unfortunately by default PAS cannot be relied upon as a reliable member of Pakatan."
ReplyDeleteDo you think PAS should leave PR? How does the ideology of PAS square with that of DAP? Is PKR under Anwar veering towards PAS? Poor Zaid Ibrahim - he has an uphill task in trying to formulate a common platform for these 3 parties to register as one Opposition party. And now trouble is brewing for PKR in Sabah and Sarawak. It doesn't rain but it pours! I hope the Opposition parties can resolve all these issues or it will be the beginning of the end for them.
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ReplyDeletehey anon 9.44,with people like you in malaysia ,bn does not need to worry about pakatan rakyat wining the next general election.with racist mindset like yourself shows the true colours of pakatan rakyat! bravo! keep it up! i guess ktemoc agrees with you, that skunk
ReplyDeleteracially derogatory comments deleted
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