GE13: Local opposition parties for state, PR for Parliament – NK

For the past 20 years, Sabah has been one of Barisan Nasional’s vote banks. Each election, they vote for BN candidates without giving much thought to those from the opposition, and this is clearly reflected by the huge wins BN has been getting at the state and Parliament level in Sabah.

However, ever since 2008, the winds of change have blowing to all corners of the nation, including to the state known as The Land Below The Wind. Change is a real thing, and people are slowly but surely getting more enlightened about the wrong-doings conducted by the BN candidates they voted in.

Compound that with the fact that the ongoing RCI on Project IC has clearly revealed that vast numbers of foreigners have been blatantly and irresponsibly given citizenship status presumably in exchange for votes to the ruling BN, and you have Sabahans who finally see sense in change for the better. Any doubts must surely have been dispelled with the Lahad Datu incursion. It was the worst fears of Sabahans realized.

Now, with a clear shot at wresting the state from BN, what is the opposition doing? It is busy shooting itself in the foot. For football fans, it is akin to being presented with an open goal, but then ending up firing the shot wide.

Seat allocation talks between Pakatan Rakyat (PKR, DAP and PAS) and local opposition parties SAPP and STAR ended badly. Now, Sabahans should be braced for multi cornered fights between BN, PR, local opposition (SAPP, STAR and Usno) and also independents. On top of that, PKR’s own Sabah division is in disarray, with a group declaring that they would contest in seven Parliamentary seats, but the central leadership saying otherwise. In essence, the people are going to get overwhelmed with which opposition party to vote, and amid all this, BN will easily claim 2/3 of the seats, both at state and Parliament level in Sabah.

It is therefore my hope that PR comes to its senses that if this is how it tuns out, they can forget about Putrajaya. The local opposition parties have been claiming that they alone should be participating at the state level, as the state should be governed by local parties. I believe this is not unreasonable.

How about PR staying out of the state elections, or contest in just a handful and leave the bulk to the local parties? Likewise, SAPP, STAR and Usno should think about allowing PR to contest a majority of the Parliament seats, with a few left over for their respective leaders to contest. Is this too much to ask? People didn’t like when Umno came into Sabah, and a similar thing can be said about PR’s, and in particular PKR’s, meddling with the state affairs.

With this, both parties can help each other. When PR candidates campaign for their Parliament seats, they get the help of the local opposition, and vice versa. Hopefully, the PR leadership realizes this and come to their senses soon. Or else, they make be left ruing their missed chances when they lose Parliament by a very close margin. After all, Sabah was there for the taking, but greed and glory got in the way.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.