Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar – File photo
KUCHING: The failure of Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the Tanjung Piai by-election is an indication that the federal ruling coalition has failed to manage the country’s economy, said Santubong MP Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
According to him, PH was more focused on revenge and vendettas rather than managing the country, solving the economic woes as well as creating employment and introducing reasonable reform.
“This had caused Tanjung Piai voters to lose trust in PH, and the result was to be expected,” Wan Junaidi said in a press statement today.
He pointed out that not only the fishermen, planters and farmers were suffering, even the business people including traders, retailers and importers and exporters who were mostly Chinese business people, were affected by the PH failures and arrogance.
“Only one fear I had was the Malays would boycott because of Chinese candidate. But obviously, reasons prevailed. Tanjung Piai had been under the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) for two terms, and Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jack Seng is a good representative.
“People are beginning to realise that the PH administration has failed to manage the country’s economy, if not seen to be the cause of depressing economy. The PH are more focused on revenge and vendettas then managing the country, solve the economic woes and create employment and introduce reasonable reform,” said Wan Junaidi.
He took a jibe at PH ministers, saying they were not fast learners or plainly arrogant who refused to know and understand their job.
He added that none of the ministers were really aware that they were managing the nation, and there were part of comity of nations in the world arena.
“They must learn to be smart and understand diplomacy when dealing with foreign countries and leaders. The ministers are not ordinary MPs.
“Their voice is the voice of the government of Malaysia and the administration they represent. The dwindling of palm oil markets in China, India and even the European Union (EU) is their fault.
“Thus causing hardship to 36,000 smallholders who contributed to almost 40 per cent of the palm oil product of the country and accordingly, affecting millions of people,” said Wan Junaidi.
He added the voters have expressed their anger, and only those obsessed with reformation agendas and creating the new utopian order in Malaysia were still with PH.
“Others who just want to see food on the table, employment and business opportunity with social safety net in place would slowly seen the lacklustre in the then bright world that the PH promised,” said Wan Junaidi.
Last night, Dr Wee won the six-cornered by-election with a 15,086-vote majority against PH Karmaine Sardini.
The former two-term Tanjung Piai MP polled 25,466 votes against the 10,380 garnered by Karmaine.
Four other candidates lost their deposits for securing less than one-eights or 12.5 per cent of the total votes.
Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam managed to get only 1,707 votes, followed by Datuk Dr Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz of Berjasa (850), and two independents, Dr Ang Chuan Lock (380) and Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghaffar (32).
Of the 38,815 ballots received, 595 were rejected. Thirty ballots were not returned.