COMMENT BY YB PROF DR P.RAMASAMY, DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER II, PENANG
PH should make it clear that it would not work or cooperate with certain opportunists who are prone to jump from party or coalition to another.
The unscrupulous work of these handful of self-seekers caused the collapse of two state governments in Malacca within a very short span of time.
Putting blind primacy over winning at any costs simply means sacrificing principles on the grounds of political expediency.
In the next general election, PH has the possibility of taking a serious shot at forming the government.
This requires that PH is seen as a political coalition that is worth supporting. If PH brings into its fold the opportunists, then the future prospect of winning the federal government is not going to be easy.
It doesn’t matter whether the race based parties combine or not, but PH must uphold its dignity. Twenty-two months was wasted under the leadership of the former prime minister Mahathir Mohammed.
The coming Malacca state election must be seen from the perspective of PH regaining its pride and dignity to meet the next general election.
This is the reason why any attempt to seek accommodation with those who have betrayed the mandate of the people will be politically costly.
PH simply cannot afford another serious mishap in the fast unfolding political situation. If PH sticks to its principles and wins, the victory will be much deserved.
Victory by sacrificing its principles might be a pyrrhic one.
The coming Malacca state election is just not another state election.
It has been called despite misgivings on the part of many because the pandemic has not been brought to a successful halt.
Cases are coming up here and there; there is concern that what happened in Sabah during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic might be repeated.
It is too late to call off the election, the date has been set.
Political parties are busy strategising as how to win the election.
For PH, the coming state election in Malacca might be forerunner of what might possibly happen in the federal election. Given this, the multi-racial coalition must get its act together.
No wheeling and dealing with political opportunists and charlatans.
PH must not give the impression that it is willing to work with anyone just to win.
Such kind of victory is meaningless. The message must be loud and clear—no deals with the frogs and opportunists.
The state election is not just about winning but redemption of dignity and pride that were seriously undermined by working with Mahathir during the brief stint in the federal government.
More importantly it is about cementing the relationship and goodwill among the three component parties so that PH could emerge as the next alternative government of Malaysia.
A move away from the extremist political models of Umno, Bersatu and PAS.
