"No ultimatum only harsh realities – “Time and tide waits for no man”

By Jeffrey


I respectfully disagree with PR’s position that defines national political change as being based on (1) a titanic struggle between BN vs PR (2) that those opposed to BN must “unite & join” under a single banner to give PR the additional 30+ seats in Sarawak & Sabah.
The strategy is not for PR win another 30 seats from East Malaysia but to deny BN that 30 seats. For that to happen Semenanjung PR’s leaders must recognize that foremost in Sarawkian & Sabah’s aspirations is regional political autonomy. This is their main grouse against UMNO/BN. PR therefore has nothing better to offer and bring to the table to advance this central East Malaysian aspiration if it requires East Malaysian political parties & parties (like Sabah’s SAPP & Sarawak’s SNAP) to unite under PR banner, follow its strict dictation on seat allocation that will be perceived there as serving more of PKR’s and DAP’s interest to expand their presence/control at expense of local parties. They don’t want to dislodge one neo colonialist semananjung mster (BN) for another (PR)!

The Opposition just can’t go there (East Malaysia), highlight local issues, stir regional sentiments there against Federal Control by BN and then when it comes to matters of next General election inconsistently dictate to locals there (Jeffrey kitingan or Yong Teck Ling) how to contest under PR’s banner and what to do. For that will be simply exciting aspirations that you you do not and cannot satisfy – that will only unleash a backlash!
I reiterate: the immediate step is not PR winning BN but BN losing in terms of seats to PR plus combination of local East Malaysian parties contesting under their own banners. You then all come together only after winning GE in this sense (otherwise its academic) but not before GE upon terms that East malaysians must contest under PR’s banner in an epic struggle defined narrowly as consisting only 2 players (ie BN & PR).

30 seats more for PR don’t help. Its a hung parliament! Neither can rule with a simple majority of a 2 or 3 parliamentarians more! If you have more, the other side will buy cross overs; if you have less, the other side couldn’t rule with such a small majority and will do even more drastic things to consolidate power than what was donme in 308! Either way the country will plunge to rough times. You’ve got to think big, bold, drastic and strategic, as what is needed is a paradigm shift in power equation – not a simple majority of 30! Its now or never to do so. Sorry thats the harsh reality.