SERDANG – Perikatan Nasional (PN) needs the support of other coalitions to have any chance of wresting control of Putrajaya, said its Youth wing in urging the coalition to rethink its strategy ahead of the federal polls.
Speaking at the PN convention, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who is also PAS Youth chief, stressed the necessity of a straight fight in the coming general election, citing failures in Melaka and Johor when votes were split in multi-cornered contests.
In this regard, he said PN needs a new formula and strategy to be on the right track once Parliament is dissolved.
“We used the same formula in Melaka, we failed. In Johor too, we failed. Are we going to use the same recipe in the general election?
“It is incumbent on me to point out that the best recipe for the election is to have a one-on-one fight. I worry that if we repeat our mistake of having three-cornered fights, we won’t be able to march to Putrajaya.
“Negotiations must take place. The top leadership must see between PH (Pakatan Harapan), which governed the country with failed policies, and BN (Barisan Nasional), which has its own liabilities – which one of these can be our partner,” he said to a muted response from the 1,000-plus crowd, in an otherwise rousing speech.
In the recent Melaka and Johor polls, a multi-cornered fight in all the seats there, following a falling between government components PN and BN, saw the latter benefitted through split votes.
Acknowledging the bad blood between the two political coalitions, Fadhli said PN should consider realigning themselves with BN and Umno, the latter undergoing specific internal changes.
“I believe negotiations must be held to ensure the tragedy of 2018 doesn’t repeat itself,” he said, referring to PH’s victory in the 2018 general election.
“Although the mood in today’s convention is for us to fight BN, if there is a three-cornered fight, can we win?”
Regardless, Fadhli said he is confident that any rational voter would cast their ballot for PN, particularly after recent court developments.
This is ostensibly in reference to the imprisonment of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was convicted for corruption, among others.
“One by one, more will be incarcerated. Days are counting. Bad luck awaits them because of their crimes.
“Our rivals, BN and PH are both in a weakened state. As such, any rational rakyat will pick PN, God willing.” – The Vibes, August 27, 2022
