THREE factors explain the thumping victory for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Johor election. One must eat humble pie to concur.
First, it echoes how the people’s frustrations and disappointments over Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have not dissipated. The unprecedented victory in 2018 for Pakatan Harapan that saw the fall of the goliath BN after six decades was vaporised hardly 22 months post-GE14.
The public still harbours the pain and holds Dr Mahathir responsible for the disintegration of the new coalition government. The sense of betrayal cuts a deep wound.
To show their spite for his betrayal perhaps is one reason why the people came in droves to cheer Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the campaign trail, as Dr Mahathir has himself consistently blared that he is gunning for Najib.
Second, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has failed to position himself as being still the formidable leader that he was at the time when he went to prison. That failure can be garnered from three aspects.
Anwar did not turn the tides on Dr Mahathir when the public were growing impatient and suspicious of Dr Mahathir when he delayed passing the baton over to Anwar.
Anwar also failed to position his partners DAP and Amanah as superior to Umno’s partnering with MIC and MCA. Their failure and weakness was seen from the fact that the three component partners had difficulty in deciding which party flag to use or what combination to create for the campaign period in Johor. And this is not the first time either.
And of course the fact that Anwar also failed to embrace the independent candidates and Muda from the early start contributed to BN’s victory. Inclusiveness was not the strategy that should have been employed by Anwar to bolster a vibrant presence for the difficult times.
Third, Umno presented the BN formula in a formidable manner. There was no quarrel, arguments, or disagreements between Umno, MCA and MIC and BN played its cards right in distancing itself from PAS at a timely pace.
The negative sentiment that people felt towards Dr Mahathir was also shown towards Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, for it was him and gang who were the prime movers of the unacceptable Sheraton Move.
Arguments of poor voter turnout (hardly 50%) do not hold water. It is sheer speculation on the surface and lack of humility at its worst.
However BN needs to be warned too that its win in Johor is not a vote of approval for several of its leaders facing court proceedings. Malaysians are not as dumb as some may want us to believe. It is, on the contrary, a vote for the party that successfully presented itself as a formidable, coordinated, cooperating return of the goliath.
There is time to learn your lesson fast before GE15 comes knocking. – The Vibes, March 13, 2022
J. D. Lovrenciear reads The Vibes
