Whatever the reasons that may be offered for the PKR defectors, the inescapable fact remains that the Umno-led BN has been proven to be highly effective in its strategy/tactic to rock Pakatan Rakyat like a 8.8 Richter-scale earthquake.
Umno-led BN’s persuasive arguments have caused a seismic shift in the mindset, especially among some PKR representatives who defected to become independents friendly to BN. Like a hungry tiger, it is craving for more!
PKR is seen as the weakest link in the political chain – the party with many political representatives and members who once belonged to Umno in particular and also fellow BN component parties.
It would be more challenging to destabilise the largely principled and disciplined PAS and DAP, albeit they too have suffered a mega setback in Perak recently. One can expect Pakatan Rakyat will take all these political wounds in its stride, regarding them as birth pangs with hope of a beautiful political ‘offspring’; thereafter to regroup and respond with a fresh political tsunami – if it can re-create one one more time.
To some quarters, one set lost is not ‘game over’. The political tide can yet change, they argue, if new East Malaysian political parties are formed to partner Pakatan in their quest for real political power and change for a ‘better Malaysia’.
Or, East Malaysian political parties, supportive of or sympathetic to Pakatan’s long-term cause or ideals are prepared to come forth publicly to Pakatan’s aid, which will broaden Pakatan’s base. Indeed, a strong, healthy and lasting broad-based political partnership with shared concerns and ideals and mutual respect are needed for it to truly represent and govern the nation.
Pakatan is hoping that East Malaysian political parties can see the opportunity is now or never. Pakatan’s ongoing and painstaking efforts to woo their East Malaysian counterparts may yet prove to be the winning shot in this titanic battle, although counter-strategies such as Umno’s promise not to enter into Sarawak politics are beginning to make their mark.
Significantly, however, Umno’s promise not spread its wings to Sarawak comes conditional, ie, ‘as long as the state BN backbone, PBB, keeps winning seats for the coalition’.
All things said, the political game is also a matter of perception as much as it is for real, and if one may add, also a dream. Pakatan will surely yearn and pray for Martin Luther Jr’s ‘I have a dream’ to become a reality in Malaysia come the next general election!
All these for a better change, provided Malaysians are prepared to give them ’1Chance’. Will they?
Pakatan members and supporters believe it’s a resounding ‘yes’ while Pakatan sympathisers are also rooting for the greatly handicapped underdog to upset the massive political heavyweight that is BN in the way Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Cory Aquino had triumphed against their nemeses all odds.
The Umno-led BN, however, is wishing and hoping for ‘business as usual’ in its political dominance for another 50 long years. It’s your call, Malaysians!
