Make no mistake: another BN-PN government will utterly ruin Malaysia and make it awfully difficult for us to recover.
With only two days left to polling day, both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) now appear resigned to the likelihood that Pakatan Harapan will score a significant electoral victory. But that hasn’t stopped Barisan and Perikatan from still dreaming of forming the next government in defiance of the will of the voters.
After excoriating UMNO for weeks as corrupt and unreliable, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan suddenly announced that Perikatan is willing to work with Barisan to form the next government. Muhyiddin Yassin, the Perikatan chairman, immediately denied it but it looks like he too is now contemplating a partnership with Barisan.
Yesterday, as reports continue to flood in of huge crowds at Pakatan rallies across the country, Muhyiddin is once again talking about working with other parties who share the same goal of prioritising Islam and protecting Malay rights. Leaders within UMNO are essentially saying the same thing.
It is the clearest indication to date that both parties are planning to invoke the same old racial and religious narratives to form a partnership post-GE15 to block Pakatan. Powerful forces are at work; nothing can be taken for granted. If it happens, it will be the worst, most disastrous of all outcomes.
Remember, since the overthrow of the Pakatan government following the infamous Sheraton Move, it is a BN-PN coalition government that has ruled the country. Their infighting and ambition along with their avarice and incompetence plunged Malaysia into crisis after crisis. They couldn’t get their act together before GE15; they won’t be able to get their act together after GE15.
Remember too, how they gave themselves cabinet positions, special envoy posts and GLC appointments. They paid themselves millions while more and more Malaysians slipped into poverty.
They talk much about protecting Malay rights but notice how they only become concerned with race and religion when they are in danger of losing power. Once they are in power, it is always about their entitlement and their right to plunder. Their corruption, dishonesty and incompetence have done more harm to the Malays than anything else. The fact that after more than half a century of UMNO rule, more Malays are in the B40 group than any other ethnicity says it all.
Make no mistake: another BN-PN government will utterly ruin Malaysia and make it awfully difficult for us to recover. Our democracy will be diminished. Corruption will be forever entrenched. Racism and extremism will reach the point of no return. And ordinary Malaysians will continue to face hardship and struggle. We must not allow that to happen.
The only way to protect our future from these corrupt, rapacious and incompetent leaders who have held our nation hostage for so long is to go out and vote en masse for Pakatan Harapan. Only a strong and convincing majority for Pakatan will stop the schemes and plots of Barisan and Perikatan.
We need another tsunami – another massive outpouring of support for Pakatan Harapan – to secure our future. Don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done; it can if we all unite behind Pakatan Harapan.
Let’s finish what we began in 2018 and set our nation on the road to reform and recovery once and for all. So please go out and vote your future by voting for Pakatan Harapan. – Dennis Ignatius