Masing
KUCHING: State Barisan Nasional (BN) should not underestimate but be ready to fight the opposition coalition under former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad seriously.
In stating this, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing said the gathering of smaller parties in Sarawak and Sabah under one umbrella by Dr Mahathir should not be taken lightly as it would impact politics in light of the next general election (GE14).
“The gathering of smaller parties in Sarawak and Sabah by Tun Mahathir, if he could do it, will have an impact come GE14. If Tun Mahathir could rope in all smaller parties under one political umbrella, there must be valid reasons or justification for them to follow Tun Mahathir,” Masing, also PRS president, told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Masing believed that it was crucial for BN to first find out the reasons for the willingness of local political leaders to follow Dr Mahathir’s lead.
“Find out the reasons. Once the reasons are identified, then BN is in a position to counter their argument and fight them in the coming general election.
“One must always remember that the winner of an election cannot be taken for granted before the last vote is counted. Similarly, BN should take the fight with Tun Mahathir seriously.
“Tun Mahathir was in BN and its supreme council for 22 years. So we must assume that he knows the ‘tricks of the trade’. Therefore, BN must not be too complacent in fighting Tun Mahathir come GE14,” added Masing.
With former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin now leading a new party – Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia – and former rural and regional minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal heading a local party in Sabah, there were rumours that Dr Mahathir’s men had been making contact with some local political leaders.
So far, only one politician who wished to remain anonymous admitted that he had been contacted by men allied with Dr Mahathir, but he also said he had yet to make up his mind.
Meanwhile, PBDS Baru president Cobbold Lusoi said the idea of all opposition parties including the small ones uniting under one political umbrella to fight the ruling alliance was a good one.
However, he also questioned how it could be put into practice.
“Until now, no one yet (from Dr Mahathir’s side) has contacted me. We are not sure of what is happening in Peninsular Malaysia,” said Cobbold.
Regardless, he said PBDS Baru would take part in the coming general election, aiming at Dayak-majority seats despite the undesirable results in the last state election.
In the May 7 state polls, PBDS Baru fielded five candidates – all of whom lost their deposits.
“We were defeated once, but it does not mean that we will be defeated forever,” stressed Cobbold.
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) senior lecturer Dr Jeniri Amir when contacted said despite Dr Mahathir’s glorious past, the latter’s idea of consolidating all local parties to fight the ruling BN coalition would not make any impact in the local political scene.
He explained that it was because there was a lack of a credible and influential leader who could consolidate and get all the parties in Sarawak under one umbrella, adding that the small opposition parties were weak especially in facing a strong PBB.
“Even if the local parties could be gathered under one umbrella, as Tun Mahathir has suggested, I am sceptical about what they could achieve. PBB is just too influential and strong. I doubt they have the room to manoeuvre. I believe they will end up like Amanah and PAS in the last state election,” said Jeniri.
In the last state election, Amanah contested in 13 seats and PAS, 11. Both parties lost in all the seats contested.