As speculation of an early general election grows, political party leaders are mooting all sorts of alliances and pacts.
While a ‘big tent’ approach or coalition-building, including forging Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), ahead of the election may sound like grand plans to win more seats, what this also means is that Malaysia’s political parties do not have the confidence to emerge victorious on their own merit.
All this pre-election talk of alliances and pacts by certain prominent politicians suggests an erosion of leadership and a lack of confidence in their own political parties’ abilities.
It also hints at how corrupt and deceptive some of our politicians have become that they need to collaborate with other parties as they desperately try to find a shortcut to power.
When a decades-old political party cannot stand on its own merit, when it is unable to propagate a manifesto that its leaders can deliver, when it is not confident about showcasing its past services to the people, it may try to collaborate with other parties in an alliance of convenience. But this would be an attempt to deceive the voters.
- Sign up for Aliran's free daily email updates or weekly newsletters or both
- Make a one-off donation to Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara, CIMB a/c 8004240948
- Make a pledge or schedule an auto donation to Aliran every month or every quarter
- Become an Aliran member
The most honourable thing for such political parties to do in these circumstances would be to form a coalition or engage in power-sharing only after they have marched through the polls as independent parties, on their own merit. Only then can we know for sure that these parties are truly committed to nation-building.
To all our political party leaders, let us hear your response.
In the meantime, voters must tell off politicians who are forging alliances of convenience ahead of the general election and let them know that such moves are just as shameful a ploy as switching sides after an election.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
Yes! They should each compete on their own and only talk of coalition governments after the élection. This will show how much support they have. However, this may result in entrenched racial political parties getting the most votes or show up which political party représente which racial Community. It seems that the multi-racial aspect or parties saying we are multi-racial can only about by the ‘big’ tent way.
How true! Beware of frogs too. By the way is the anti jump law established yet?