From Dr I Lourdesamy
As one would expect, there is much diagnosis and prognosis following the recent state elections, in particular on what Umno and Pakatan Harapan (PH) should do to win more Malay support, as it is critical for their political future.
Whichever way one looks at the options, one thing is clear – Umno has to be revamped if it is to compete with Perikatan National (PN) for the Malay vote. This requires a change in the present Umno leadership. The treatment required is clear but the treatment may kill the patient.
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, as head of Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN), is critical for PH and Anwar Ibrahim’s position as the prime minister. Therefore, a change in Umno’s leadership at this juncture can set in motion events that can undermine PH as a governing coalition.
Anwar needs a dependable coalition to back him. An Umno under a different leadership may not provide Anwar with this assurance. Any attempt to revamp Umno poses certain risks to PH. PH must survive first. Winning Malay support comes later.
How does PH-BN win more Malay support? Various suggestions have been made.
One is to revamp Umno so that it can compete more effectively with PN for the Malay vote. Another view comes from political analyst, James Chin of the University of Tasmania, who thinks PH may be forced to become more rightist to compete with PN for Malay support.
This would be ineffective because this strategy was what BN followed before to compete with PAS and failed. Such a move by PH would be a race to the bottom in terms of bigotry, racism and regressive thinking and would betray its core supporters (among both Malays and non-Malays).
My perspective is that PH-BN needs a new strategy to compete for the Malay vote. A strategy that is different from PN and which is more inclusive and beneficial to the nation as a whole.
I believe visible results have an impact on the mind, even in the Malay mind.
Pragmatic
PH should go back to the drawing board and come up with a four-year plan that it can implement while it is still in power at the federal level. It should be a rolling plan, that is monitored and revised every year for performance and achievements.
It may not be rightist or leftist but pragmatic, targeted at present and future problems.
As the socio-economic programmes and projects begin to show results that can be seen and felt in terms of employment, income, housing, education, quality of life, etc., the Malay mind will shift and see the relevance of a progressive government to them and their lives in a modern society.
PN can hold on to Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan as it will provide a contrast to the rapid development in the rest of the country. I refuse to believe that good governance with sound socio-economic development will have no effect on the Malays and their thinking, even those in Kelantan.
My proposition is that the Malays will gradually move from the stranglehold of PAS which has not brought any development or improvement to the quality of life in Kelantan.
Farmers can change, fishermen can change, Felda settlers can change, civil servants can change, all can and will change because, fundamentally, we all want a better life.
PH should tap into this inner need for a better life to win votes across the board, including Malay votes. PAS is following a strategy of fear and intimidation. This strategy has worked because there has been no clear and contrasting strategy with meaningful results presented to the Malay voter.
However, with all the information readily available today on what a good life is and can be, the focus of PAS on race, religion and the hereafter cannot hold if the PH government can present an alternative lifestyle to the Malay voter which is clearly better.
This is what the PH government should try to do over the next four years.
Dr I Lourdesamy is an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.