Incompetent PKR; Bungling Pakatan

Simon Templar

There is something seriously wrong with PKR.

The leaders of PKR are either the ultimate optimists or they are simply, born liars. How can anyone in PKR claim to have led a good campaign in Sarawak? They have just been slaughtered even with the changing political climate in Malaysia and yet they are pleased having ‘made in-roads’ into Sarawak and tripling their representation in the Dewan Negeri; increase from 1 to 3 seats. How laughable.

I would rather that they face the defeat like a real man. Come out and admit that PKR have under-estimated BN and that the rural Sarawakians have not warmed up to West Malaysian politics. At least this may wake a lot of their own people up from their slumber.

And we do know that many Malaysians live in make-believe world where reality is but a perception of their little minds.

The less optimistic of the PKR members may say that the battle has been lost, but the chances of winning the war (i.e. GE 13) has increased with the ‘better’ performance seen in Sarawak. Another load of hot BS. Based on the Sarawak election, Pakatan Rakyat has ZERO chance of forming the next government. Wake up people, the chances are ZERO.

Sarawak has 31 parliamentary seats and Sabah has 25. Based on the Sarawak elections,

how many parliamentary seats can we honestly expect to win from the urban areas? 4? 5? How are we going to win 65% of all votes?

How are we rakyat going to win the GE13? If you have a decent brain, your guess is as good mine. If you have a non-functioning brain, you will be claiming that GE13 is a foregone conclusion with a PR win because UMNO and BN are evil and the rakyat will kick them out.

First and foremost, let us all ingrain in our minds that it is very difficult to oust BN because of gerrymandering and dirty politics along with collusion with EC. The shocking thing is that before any elections, anyone and everyone knows what BN is going to throw money and play dirty. BN is so open that they are playing poker with all 5 cards open on the table. And yet PR loses the game. Something is very wrong isn’t it? Are we thinking out of the box to counter BN? Isn’t something not right when the voter could have taken BN’s money but vote PR instead? Could it maybe be a case as simple as PR not being appealing to the voters in the very first place? At least with the rural voters.

We can see that informed voters have ‘spoken’. The urban Sarawakians of Kuching, Miri and Sibu have followed their urban counterparts in West Malaysia. We can safely say that the change in West Malaysia has blown to East Malaysia. But it is obvious that this wind is not going to cause any further changes. Why? I dare say that because the change that we are asking for is not what the rural voters want.

( I am a believer that DAP won the 12 seats not fully on merits of DAP or their candidates but simply as part of the wind of change by informed voters. Nevertheless, kudos to DAP for having a very well oiled machinery and early preparations.)

Is it a co-incidence that throughout Malaysia, the urbanites are generally leaning towards PR while the rural folks are still giving their support to BN? I choose to say no. I say this scenario is the result of wrong strategy applied by PR.

We urbanites are better informed. No arguments about that. We are better educated too. Some of us have also had the opportunity to see democracy elsewhere and are hence asking for betterment. We tackle social issues, government misdemeanours and so on and so forth. But how do these issues affect the rural folks? Remember, everyone is selfish – this is human nature (like it or not). And please admit to that. Key point is – how does that matter affect me?

To many rural folks, they could not be bothered about these social issues. Take it from me that some people just like the simple life. It is idiots like us who get all worked up over injustice, corruption etc. If that is so, then is the strategy that worked in urban areas going to be equally effective in the rural areas? The kampong folks have proven over and over that it does not work. And yet PR uses the same strategy.

Look at the results of past elections. I read in one of Sarawak elections report saying that BN won in a voting area which had never had water supply. Shocking! What did PR do or not do there? Logically, either those voters are morons or PR simply screwed up. Again I am reiterating that the voters could have taken BN’s money but vote PR. They did not. So, what did BN do right there?

Is PR going everywhere shouting Anwar and Reformasi? Do you think the rural folks care about the submarine that could not dive or the Prime Minister’s wife who took out pages congratulating herself in New York? Do you think the rural folks are bothered if petrol costs RM10 per litre or that Selangor gives RM10 free water? Do they even know who on earth Anwar is?

Point is – are the issues brought to the rural folks relevant to them? How many of us actually step into their shoes and see things from their point of view? Does electricity tariff affect me when my electricity is generated from the noisy generator (shared by my 10 other neighbours) behind my house? Does free water affect me when I get my water from the river 5 minutes walk away? Does rising cost of living affect me when I plant my own vegetables, catch my own fish and rare my own chicken? If I am not bothered about the above, somebody please tell me, why should I be bothered about that man who fell down from MACC’s office or why certain murderer never get charged in court. Or for the love of god, why would the deterioration in the education system affect my live when I have never been to school (nor do my 5 children) because the nearest school is 2 hours by boat away. If I have lived this old without education, why would my children’s children need education? Will going to school put food on the table tonight? Aren’t they better off picking fruits in the jungle nearby.

Not everyone has advanced. There is a huge number of population that has been left behind while the landscape of Kuala Lumpur continues to get filled up with skyscrapers.

There are many people who simply do not ask for progress because they believe that progress is beyond them. Because they accept life as it is. And we are reaching out to them with issues like the corrupted UMNO leaders who enrich themselves? Or the police force who helps UMNO stay in power?

You get what I’m trying to say? Astro is part of our lives but a lot of these people do not even have a TV. We take many things we have for granted and we assume that everyone wants what we want. The truth is everyone has different needs. What is the point of Azmin Ali and gang going to kampongs telling the folks there what Azmin Ali and gang needs? What is the point of you feeding the cow the best fried chicken in the world?

Pakatan Rakyat and in particular, PKR, is going the wrong way. They have to wake up now and go back to the drawing board. These leaders that we hope will lead us to a better future are simply not good enough. No one is really thinking out of the box. (By the way, the Ubah mascot by DAP is brilliant!) And PKR seriously needs some talents leading their strategy team. I mean seriously, seriously, seriously. I don’t like the American style of politics but you have to accept that they are very good at what they do.

Let it be fund raising or election strategies. Just for an idea, oh somebody please read some Jeffrey Archers. We are light years behind. An author can actually think better than our leaders.