Ex-Bersatu leader predicts ‘worst fate’ for party after state polls

With a few days left until ballots will be cast in six states, a former Bersatu leader has predicted that Perikatan Nasional will not be getting the results the coalition expected.

Former Bersatu supreme council member Muhammad Faiz Na’aman is confident that PN’s strategy, particularly Bersatu’s, will fail to entice voters or threaten the Pakatan Harapan-BN alliance.

Faiz also believes that the failure, caused by what he called a “failed formula” implemented in the Johor and Malacca polls, will be followed by an exodus of party members.

“The impact of my move to leave Bersatu will be seen more clearly after what I predict will be PN’s loss in the state elections because of candidates who were not supposed to be fielded,” said Faiz during an interview at Malaysiakini’s office in Petaling Jaya today.

Questionable candidates

Painting a bleak picture of PN’s chances to capture Selangor this Aug 12, Faiz said this was because, overall, the coalition’s candidates never had the potential to succeed.

“The formula used by Bersatu to face the state elections is not much different than what they did in Johor and Malacca.

“All the moves planned by Bersatu will cause the party to lose,” he said.

For example, Faiz said many candidates fielded by PN from Bersatu were among those “rejected” by voters in the 15th general election.

However, he claimed they were given a second chance while younger candidates were set aside due to the alleged influence of certain quarters within Bersatu.

Aside from their questionable popularity, Faiz said certain candidates also had dubious academic credentials that could potentially turn off more voters, particularly in Selangor.

“We can see in Selangor there are billboards with slogans featuring young Harapan candidates, but Bersatu will not take a similar approach,” he said.

Faiz is believed to be referring to certain Bersatu leaders seen to be closely allied to Selangor PN chief Azmin Ali.

Faiz argued that the situation for PN in Selangor is made worse by certain strategies or statements made by leaders in component partner PAS, which went against attempts to frame the coalition as a moderate one.

He noted that such “aggressive” tactics, seen to pander to certain Malay-Muslim sentiments, will only work in certain states with a more conservative majority.

“That approach will not work in Selangor,” he added.

PAS through its approaches had also on various occasions placed Bersatu in a difficult spot, according to Faiz.

Among others, he said, was the speech made by PN election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor in Selayang that eventually saw the caretaker Kedah menteri besar charged with allegedly making a seditious remark against the Selangor sultan.

‘Seat distribution strategy’

Faiz also questioned PN’s seat distribution strategy in Selangor, where PAS had given way for Bersatu to contest more seats despite their unconvincing winning chances.

“Maybe Bersatu has more in terms of the number of seats contested but we must also look at the quality of seats given (up by PAS). Bersatu’s chances to win must be taken into consideration,” he said.

Therefore, Faiz expressed hope for voters to make the smarter choice come polling day this Saturday, to prioritise the country’s future and stability over certain sentiments.

“We must understand why the Yang di-Pertuan Agong stressed the importance of our country to maintain stability,” said Faiz, who added that he has not joined another party since his departure from Bersatu. MKINI

State polls: Unity govt leaders gather at the Jelajah Madani Negri Sembilan to show support to candidates

SEREMBAN: Leaders of political parties in the unity government gathered for the first time since campaigning started to give their commitment to the pact and to give moral support to candidates from Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional .

Present at the Jelajah Madani Negri Sembilan event with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, were leaders from Barisan, Pakatan, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Parti Sabah.

Among those present were Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Amanah president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu senior vice-president Datuk Seri Fadhillah Yusof and GRS’ Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.

The leaders were at the event to support unity government candidates and particularly those contesting in Ampangan, Paroi, Labu and Lenggeng

Anwar said the presence of two deputy prime ministers with him at the same event showed how committed the leaders were to the unity government.

“This is what we call mature politics.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim addressing the crowd at the Jelajah Madani Negri Sembilan event.

“We (political parties) may have had our differences in opinion but we agreed to work together as do not want the country and the people to be adversely affected (if there is no stable government),” he said.

Ahmad Zahid who is also Deputy Prime Minister told the crowd that the Pakatan and Barisan pact will remain intact for years to come.

“There has never been a Prime Minister who has shown concern for the need to repair and upgrade toilets in schools or government clinics as the country’s top leader will normally handle international or other major issues.

“With a PM like Anwar, it is not impossible that Kelantan will fall to the Pakatan-Barisan pact in the coming polls after 33 years,” he said adding that there were winds of change in favour of parties in the unity government based on his recent visits to Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu.

Fadillah, who is Deputy Prime Minister II aid GPS was present at the event to show its commitment to the unity government.

“When the King suggested the setting up of a unity government, we agreed to be part of it because we wanted a stable government which will be able to rejuvenate the economy.

“It is only through stability that we can attract investors and then come up with programmes for the peoples’ benefit,” he said.

Fadhillah urged the people to vote candidates from the unity government in Negri Sembilan so that it was aligned with the federal administration.

“This will benefit the people of the state and you will have a strong state government,” he said.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the unity government had been working hard over the past eight months to come up with initiatives to help the people.

“I am in the Cabinet and I know how hard the Prime Minister works.

“Our detractors say those in the unity government have different ideologies but I am glad to say that despite this, we can reach a meeting point so that this country is stable and we can together work for the betterment of the people,” he added. ANN

MKINI / ANN

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