Harapan will lose next GE if it takes its base for granted

Why are non-Malay voters becoming disillusioned with Harapan? Is it because their daily lives have not improved under the new government? Or is it because Harapan has not delivered what was promised?

– P Ramasamy

COMMENT | I wonder what P Ramasamy means when he says that “painful and unpopular decisions” have to be made to get the support of the rakyat. The problem with Harapan is that they are a pack of lily-livered politicians who care more about winning over the Umno/PAS crowd than taking care of their mostly non-Malay base.

The non-Malay politicians who claimed to have cajones of steel before assuming federal power, now appear to be fatigued and deflated. They spend their time simpering around Malay powerbrokers and whacking the non-Malay components of BN, and doing everything in their power not to spook the Malays.

It is kind of funny. The stereotype of the Umno voter is a “dedak” eater who votes in kleptocratic politicians for the “tongkat”. Well, in these last three by-elections, the Malays who voted for opposition politicians, did not give a damn about the enticements thrown their way by Pakatan Harapan, but instead voted opposition.

This would mean they did not care if the opposition could not do anything for them. This also means you either have to be really pissed off with the federal government, or you do not care if voting for the opposition disenfranchises you in some way. This was the narrative Harapan was pushing when they were the opposition, right?

If you are Malay, you can be sure the Harapan government isn’t going to marginalise you, even if you do not vote for them...