YOURSAY | No need to promise voters the universe

YOURSAY | ‘Simple, achievable, measurable objectives are all that are needed.’

Vote wrongly and you'll end up like Kedah - Anwar warns Selangorians

PurpleGopher1703: Politicians in Malaysia are very childish as they waste so much time fearmongering and shaming.

Campaigning is supposed to be an opportunity to reach out to the electorates and sell their policies or manifesto for the coming term if they were to get into office.

There is no need to go to promise the universe. Simple, achievable, measurable objectives are all that are needed.

For instance, how to improve safety and cleanliness will be the top priority for many.

How to reduce red tape so that people can get on with their lives is another.

What about beautifying abandoned sites so that they don't become eye sores or breeding grounds for vermin, drug addicts and so on?

Add to that how to create better parking facilities for all so that people who pop in to see their doctor for 30 minutes don't come out and deal with a parking fine that they can ill afford.

Voting for honest, hardworking candidates and not along party lines will be a good start.

Apanama is back: This is the state elections. Why does the prime minister need to go down and campaign?

What are the local candidates doing? I am not saying he should not, but the local candidates need to say something to sell themselves.

Just inform the Selangorians how the policies of Pakatan Harapan-BN are better than PN policies. What are the benefits and what has been done for the last 15 years?

As a prime minister, at least present the report card and tell us where he wants to lead the coalition to benefit the Selangorians.

Talk about benefits to people and the state like how to solve the water issue in Klang Valley.

Do not make sweeping statements such as "...you will end up becoming like Kedah. Make another mistake, and you will become like Kelantan."

Anwar Ibrahim’s statement sounds desperate. Something is not right in Selangor.

Coward: By taking a swipe at Gerakan and the lack of non-Malay reps in Perikatan Nasional, Anwar is all out to get the non-Malay votes. His audience composition says that.

However, judging from the 15th general election, he is speaking to the converted.

I cannot say Bersatu is not trying its best to remedy this. It is fielding non-Malay "affiliates" in a lot of Selangor seats to try to make up for this.

So far, most people's expectation is the affiliates will not be voted in, and the bet is on whether they lose their deposits.

We will only know how successful this strategy is after the state elections.

Expect PN to be furious about Anwar’s references to Kedah and Kelantan in his speech.

As a political speech, it is acceptable. While it reflects reality, career politicians usually do not put it out in such a black-and-white way.

His challenge to compete based on the results of governance will fall on deaf ears. His opposition is weak there and that is why they campaigned on personal attacks.

This is the first salvo to wrestle the narrative from them. It will take a lot more effort than this to get the narrative the way it should be in an election.

Mosquitobrain: The next best thing for Anwar to do is to talk less and do more for the nation.

Many people still cannot see or feel any major change since the formation of the unity government.

Yes, we can only see the civil actions taken by him against his opponents which do not benefit the rakyat.

P Dev Anand Pillai: The leaders have to resort to this type of caution because the people are not capable of thinking.

You can't sort out over 60 years of mind-moulding in one term. It is all in the hands of the Malays.

If they believe that religiosity is the best way forward, then they can make it happen.

The votes of the non-Malays are not needed at all. What happens after the elections is what counts most.

Will all the promises be met?

Will curbing the rights of non-Malays bring more advancement and opportunities for the Malays or will we be back to square one by pressing the non-Malay companies to hire more Malays?

We need to look beyond race and religion. The Malay who leads has to understand that he leads people of different cultures and religions.

This cannot be denied as we are in the centre between India in the West and China in the East.

Therefore, nature and geography tell us that we are at a crossroads of cultures and that is our strength.

The problem is, we simply don't want to accept that.

Indonesia has accepted it and is progressing rapidly after decades of military dictatorship and divisive policies which separated the people and created animosity.

Apa pun boleh: This is a sad reflection of our politics. It is so disorganised that the prime minister has to go down to the ground to campaign even for state elections in the most developed state like Selangor.

Though we have educated and experienced state assemblypersons, they have not developed a consistent and stable system whereby they have the trust of their constituents and bring in the votes with their track record.

The system must be so organised that the voters are well informed and can 'separate the wheat from the chaff' regardless of whoever competes.

PN has no standing nor track record in Selangor and seems to be a threat and has the upper hand in these state elections.

All that they do is parachute its agents and pick up the votes like dried leaves falling on a windy day.

Why are we in this quandary? Where have we gone wrong?

Will another 60 years change this kind of immature, deranged politics of this country where politicians are like lost sheep every time an election comes around?

Any wonder why we are declining as a country?

Every time the right thinking takes the country one step forward, power-crazy politicians with divisive politics come in with vengeance to take it five steps behind.

This is also why race and religious politics that play on the emotions of the weak and gullible sell like no other.

Malaysian voters must grow up and do what is good for the country instead of playing into the hands of desperate corrupt politicians who would not hesitate to destroy the country for their vested interest.

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