DAP's Zhuge Liang speaks: Harapan needs a reset after Malacca defeat

Chin Tong: Harapan needs a reset after Malacca defeat

Pakatan Harapan's poor performance in the Malacca polls is a battle lost but it does not necessarily mean that the coalition will also lose the war, said DAP political education director Liew Chin Tong.

Liew (above) said Harapan needed a setback, similar to how it overcame the heavy defeats it suffered in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections in 2016.

"On June 18, 2016, Harapan lost badly in the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar twin by-elections.

"But less than two years later, in May 2018, Malaysian voters voted for a change of government for the first time.

"We must rise from defeat to strategise better for the next battle," he said in a speech at an event for campaign workers and volunteers today, after the conclusion of the Malacca polls.

BN won 21 out of 28 seats, gaining a two-thirds majority. PN meanwhile picked up two.

DAP only retained four out of eight seats, Amanah kept one of two while PKR was wiped out, losing all three incumbent seats.

"The 2018 victory can be attributed to the massive realignment in 2017 to make Harapan the game-changer.

"Harapan needs a reset to make the coalition a 'big tent' to unite all forces opposing the old politics of Umno/BN and PN.

"The revamped Harapan must be the choice for all swing voters and younger voters," said Liew.



'We must not give up'

Liew noted that for the DAP, it lost the Pengkalan Batu and Duyong seats, which have 65 percent and 60 percent Malays, by only 131 and 200 votes respectively.

"In the rural seats of Bemban and Gadek, which are made up of around 60 percent Malay voters, DAP lost by 1,116 and 559 votes respectively.

"We regret the losses, but we must not give up. The results show that we could have won these seats with a very small swing from young, middle-ground voters," he said.

Liew said that younger Malay voters who cannot accept Umno/BN had swung to PN in the Malacca polls.

"We must give Harapan a fresh look and new substance so that the swing voters will choose us instead of Umno/BN or PN.

"The preparation for the next battle starts today. It’s the time to reset and inject new game-changers into national politics so as to give hope to the people and for them to continue to see Harapan as the beacon of hope," he said.