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Yoursay: Umno-PAS combo hard to beat in the hinterlands
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YOURSAY | ‘It will be interesting to see if Rantau and Semenyih by-elections will yield the same results.’

PAS carries BN across finish line in Cameron Highlands

SRMan: The Umno-PAS combo is potent in some areas. It is enough to help the combo to, based on a brief analysis of GE14 results, take at least three Harapan-controlled states come the next general election, assuming the voting pattern remains unchanged.

Besides, some of the parliamentary seats would fall into their hands too. Their appeal is mainly to the rural masses playing the racial and religious card. Harapan’s loss in Cameron Highlands should be regarded as a blessing in disguise.

Remember Teluk Intan's loss at the 2014 by-election? Harapan, however, came back strongly and regained Teluk Intan in GE14.

Go back to the drawing board. The next GE is still some four years away.

Don't Just Talk: PAS’ and Umno’s strengths are in rural areas where the voters are simple-minded and semi-illiterate and 1MDB financial scandals by former premier Najib Abdul Razak and fugitive businessperson Jho Low are alien to them.

However, urban and suburban voters are different - they are updated on national issues with corruption as top of the agendas.

The next two state by-elections, Rantau and Semenyih, will be interesting to watch, and Umno will need PAS to help their candidates to win since PAS has never seen to be strong amongst literate voters.

Mo Saladin: BN shouldn't act as if they won a seat wrested against all odds. It was a perfect storm and on hindsight, literally handed on a platter from the word ‘kuih’.

Yet frankly, it is not MIC but PAS who has lost big time as their hardcore supporters will now have to mull if a vote for PAS is a vote for Umno.

For the Harapan election machinery, gather all your dedicated grassroots soldiers, for it pays to be on permanent campaign mode in Malay heartlands.

AtM: BN's victory in Cameron Highlands proved that what I had in mind all along was correct.

DAP, which is a multiracial party (but is successfully indoctrinated in Malays’ mind as a Chinese party), cannot depend on its coalition partners to deliver Malay votes in the long run, but must build up its own in order to be formidable in the true sense.

The same is applicable to Umno - it cannot depend on MCA to deliver the Chinese votes.

Ghostwhowalks: Yes, it’s about time Harapan wakes up. Your failure to keep to your GE14 manifesto promises has 'cheesed off' the major core of your loyal supporters (give us good reasons why the outstation voters should make an effort to support you?), and don't be surprised they may abandon you altogether if you don't make amends as soon as possible.

No honest Malaysian will want to support cheats who do not honour their promises. To remark that you make those promises not thinking you would win GE14 and hence no need to honour them, only confirmed that you are a bunch of crooks.

Now get cracking to honour each and every one of your promises and improve the economy before it’s too late. Else it will be a one-term-jolly-come-lately government.

Anonymous 2465861491622056: Indeed, Harapan will lose the next GE if it does not buck up to implement what was promised.

The laws have not changed. No consolidation of GLCs. Non-Malays treated as second-class citizens as none appointed to important positions except the attorney-general (AG).

Foreigners enjoying all sorts of jobs, plus running business. No law enforcement on all traffic offences. Local councils continue with no urgency to resolve issues.

No arrest of those making racial accusations, especially if it’s against the minorities. The whole civil service is largely corrupt and will only act for the benefit of race and religion as the minorities’ views are not considered.

Education policies and implementation is a failure. The list goes on.

Odysseus: A defeat for Harapan is good to make them go back to the drawing board. This is a positive move for democracy.

The only bad thing that came out from this election is the bankrupt of ideas from BN and PAS which can only harp on race and religion. This is bad for the country if we put these two together to rule.

Headhunter: Many are not surprised by the result. When it comes to campaigning, no one can match PAS, and without PAS, BN wouldn't have a chance in Cameron.

Unlike the messy campaign of Harapan, the BN went for the low-hanging fruits and was well rewarded.

This is a wake-up call for Harapan to buck up and not be too complacent and rest on their laurels. The honeymoon is over and much of the people expectations are yet to be fulfilled.

Harry Mou: There is no surprise that Malays and Orang Asli voted for BN. The more surprising one is the non-Malays who voted BN and some did not even turn up to vote.

This is a clear warning to Harapan and a good slap on DAP’s face for not standing up against the continuation of racial discrimination policies, on Bersatu for the continuation of racist policies, and overall, for not keeping to election manifesto.

Just Sharing: It’s good for BN to win. We need a strong two-party system so that the government doesn’t take the people for granted.

Unfortunately, both PAS and Umno are racists and bigots. Maybe Malaysia needs a third force to be a credible opposition to Harapan.

David Dass: Is this a direct result of the PAS-Umno collaboration? Is this a direct result of the politics of race and religion? But where were the Indian voters? Where were the Chinese voters? And not all Orang Asli are Muslims? Is this because of the candidate?

An Orang Asli of his stature had a natural advantage over candidates from other races. Were the Chinese and Indians disillusioned with Harapan and were registering their protests?

Clearly, a post-mortem is required. Former PM Najib Abdul Razak is given credit for playing a big role in producing the outcome? Is that real?

Darmakochi: Neither BN win nor did Harapan lose in this election. It is the Orang Asli who won. My heartfelt congratulations to Ramli Mohd Nor.

Now there is a voice from the Orang Asli community in the Parliament. Ramli can highlight the plight of all the natives in this country.

Especially, the suffering and bullying endured by them in Kelantan under the PAS government and the neglected natives in the East Malaysian states. In fact, Harapan should be happy that Ramli won this by-election.

Yoursay: Harapan must fight Umno-PAS divisive politics head-on


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