GEORGE TOWN – Amanah vice-president Datuk Seri Mujahid Yusof Rawa has called on Pakatan Harapan (PH) to tread carefully in seat negotiations with fledgling Muda in view of the fact that the looming general election is expected to be a tough fight.
The opposition coalition would need to handle its strategies, seat allocations, and where to contest “delicately” considering that the national polls would likely see multi-cornered fights, he said.
“We need to understand that our rivals such as Barisan Nasional have a loyal following, who will not waver no matter how wrong their leadership may be in governance.”
“PH also needs to study the level of ‘fence sitters’ available in this election, and to ensure that there is no overlap of support in some constituencies.
“How many voters have made up their minds, and would they vote under the glare of possible floods or during a pandemic? These are factors to ponder,” he said.
The Parit Buntar MP also highlighted that there is a need for sacrifices and selfless actions from PH members in trying to restore political stability, in contrast to some quarters who only seek to contest for selfish aims.
He said this after speaking at a northern region peace conference here last night.
The event, held to mark International Day of Peace, was co-organised by a civil society group – Pusat Komas, which advocates for the human rights of the Indigenous community – and the Penang Harmony Corp under the office of Social Development and Non-Muslim Affairs executive councillor Chong Eng.
During the closing of the event, Chong said that 11 programmes and activities were curated under the Peace 21 (2022) nationwide campaign in celebration of peace at all levels, involving communities from all walks of life.
She said the highlight of the campaign was the launching of the Street of Harmony in Seberang Jaya, which mirrors a similar one on the island in George Town.
“It is located in the vicinity of Jalan Todak and Lorong Jelawat 4 in Seberang Jaya. There are nine houses of worship including a mosque in the area,” she said.
The closing ceremony also marked the end of the campaign’s final programme – the Northern Region Peace Conference – a regional conference to enable constructive discussions on the impacts of the internet on racism and racial discrimination, today.
“In Penang, we believe that everyone plays a role in nurturing peace.
“The government cannot do it by itself to bring about peace, gender equality, or community empowerment. Everyone must take part.
“We believe in a whole-of-society approach. Therefore, it is important that these values reach the community,” she said.
According to Universiti Utara Malaysia lecturer Prof Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani, incidents of racialism tend to spike whenever there is economic strife, with social media easily influencing people to have extreme views. – The Vibes, September 22, 2022
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