GEORGE TOWN – A call has been made within Gerakan to rouse members to provide compelling arguments to the leadership on why the party should exit from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.
Kelantan Gerakan leader Ong Khang Woon said that he knows who are behind proposals to split from the opposition coalition, saying that they mean well for the party, but Gerakan needs to tread carefully over the matter.
We cannot base decisions on sentiments or the push factor from race and religious issues. We need data analysis and a convincing argument if the party wants to exit from the mostly Malay-dominant coalition,” he said.
There are fears that Gerakan is entrapped if it remains in PN, whose dominant components are Islamist party PAS and Bersatu, and that it will likely continue to lose the chance to regain seats in its former stronghold of Penang.
However, Gerakan still needs Malay votes to have a chance of winning since the non-Malay votes are now comfortably with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, which is leading the national unity government.
Of late, several quarters in Penang Gerakan have indicated that they prefer for the party to go it alone in the looming six state elections, after they found PAS and Bersatu to be too aggressive in championing the Malay agenda until it began hurting Gerakan.
“We do not want history to repeat itself in this year’s polls,” said an insider.
“Gerakan was rejected after it was seen as subservient to Umno in Barisan Nasional during the 2008 election.
“The same may be seen this year as PAS and Bersatu are domineering and have irked the non-Malays with some demands.”
The state elections for Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Kelantan, and Terengganu can be held anytime from March till June.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has hinted that they are best conducted in June.
The Penang PH chairman said that a decisive decision must be made on this matter so they can be fully prepared.
Meanwhile, Penang Gerakan veteran Wong Mun Hoe said that the Chinese community in Penang must also come to terms with a Malay chief minister in about two to three elections from now.
It is because the Malay demographics are growing in Penang unlike the Chinese, as many have also migrated or found themselves posted overseas.”
So, for Gerakan to survive, it must accept the new political realities out there, he said.
Wong said that Gerakan must reflect wisely, as it is better to “lose the battle but win the war” later.
Ong said that he has given his feedback to Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dominic Lau, saying that the party will likely end up on the losing side this year. The party should also focus on the 16th general election, due in five years, with the aim to make a comeback, he said.
“With rivals such as DAP growing complacent and becoming lacklustre due to overstaying in Penang, the next election is ripe for Gerakan to rebound,” he added.
Ong said that the issue of race and religion is nothing new in Malaysia, as almost all parties try to exploit the fault lines for renewed political mileage.
“We must continue our struggle that the only way forward in the country is through pluralism. After all, most countries in the world are embracing it.” – The Vibes, January 18, 2023.
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