Gerakan calls for urgent reforms
Published: Jan 18, 2009 11:15 PM | Updated: Jan 18, 2009 11:29 PM
The results of the Kuala Terengganu by-election reflects the urgent need for Barisan Nasional to carry out further reforms, said Gerakan today.
The results of the Kuala Terengganu by-election reflects the urgent need for Barisan Nasional to carry out further reforms, said Gerakan today.
Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the result amplified the need for BN to become a more cohesive and effective multiracial coalition to continue representing, serving and uniting the people.
He said that despite the disappointment, BN leaders should remain positive and move forward by re-doubling their efforts to realise the various reforms as promised.
"We must focus on re-building unity among the races, reducing the people's economic burden and re-assuring them of our deep commitment to ensuring fairness and justice for all," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Still not too late for BN
Meanwhile, a political analyst told Bernama that yesterday’s defeat to PAS should jolt the ruling coalition to come out from its comfort zone.
Senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia's school of social science, Dr Sivamurugan Pandian, said it was not too late for the BN to regain the people's support.
"The BN had also performed badly in the 1999 general election and if the voters really wanted to reject BN, they could have done so in the 2004 general election. But they still voted for BN.
"So it is still not too late for the BN to change and regain its position," he said.
According to Sivamurugan, BN's defeat in Kuala Terengganu was not because its opponent was strong.
"The opposition is not strong, it's only that the BN is weak," he said.
Therefore, he added, it was important for BN leaders to "wake up and do something" urgently to restore the coalition’s image.
"BN has proven on many occasions that it is capable of reinventing itself. If that can be done, I believe the young voters, which are generally leaning towards the opposition, will return to BN," he said.
Sivamurugan said PAS candidate Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut’s victory was mainly due to the support of young voters.
"For the young voters, it is the government's job to bring development. So, even if BN is successful in implementing its numerous development programmes, it won't be enough to convince these group of voters.
"Why is this so? We need to find answers to this," he said.
Winning strategies
He also said that Pakatan Rakyat's strategies in Kuala Terengganu had been effective in convincing the voters.
For instance, he said, in Bandar and Ladang state constituencies, it deployed PKR and DAP leaders and members to run the campaign.
In Wakaf Mempelam and Batu Buruk, which are PAS strongholds, the campaign was run by PAS, he added.
On the same note, he said the move to bring in outsiders to campaign in Kuala Terengganu might have harmed BN's campaign instead of boosting it.
"When speaking at ceramah, these outsiders act as though they know all about the local situation," he said.
Umno leaders should also set aside differences and move in one team, he said.
He added that although there were also the "erdogan" (liberal) and ulama factions in PAS, at the grassroots level they were united in facing the task at hand.
Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the result amplified the need for BN to become a more cohesive and effective multiracial coalition to continue representing, serving and uniting the people.He said that despite the disappointment, BN leaders should remain positive and move forward by re-doubling their efforts to realise the various reforms as promised.
"We must focus on re-building unity among the races, reducing the people's economic burden and re-assuring them of our deep commitment to ensuring fairness and justice for all," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Still not too late for BN
Meanwhile, a political analyst told Bernama that yesterday’s defeat to PAS should jolt the ruling coalition to come out from its comfort zone.
Senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia's school of social science, Dr Sivamurugan Pandian, said it was not too late for the BN to regain the people's support.
"The BN had also performed badly in the 1999 general election and if the voters really wanted to reject BN, they could have done so in the 2004 general election. But they still voted for BN.
"So it is still not too late for the BN to change and regain its position," he said.
According to Sivamurugan, BN's defeat in Kuala Terengganu was not because its opponent was strong.
"The opposition is not strong, it's only that the BN is weak," he said.
Therefore, he added, it was important for BN leaders to "wake up and do something" urgently to restore the coalition’s image.
"BN has proven on many occasions that it is capable of reinventing itself. If that can be done, I believe the young voters, which are generally leaning towards the opposition, will return to BN," he said.
Sivamurugan said PAS candidate Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut’s victory was mainly due to the support of young voters.
"For the young voters, it is the government's job to bring development. So, even if BN is successful in implementing its numerous development programmes, it won't be enough to convince these group of voters.
"Why is this so? We need to find answers to this," he said.
Winning strategies
He also said that Pakatan Rakyat's strategies in Kuala Terengganu had been effective in convincing the voters.
For instance, he said, in Bandar and Ladang state constituencies, it deployed PKR and DAP leaders and members to run the campaign.
In Wakaf Mempelam and Batu Buruk, which are PAS strongholds, the campaign was run by PAS, he added.
On the same note, he said the move to bring in outsiders to campaign in Kuala Terengganu might have harmed BN's campaign instead of boosting it.
"When speaking at ceramah, these outsiders act as though they know all about the local situation," he said.
Umno leaders should also set aside differences and move in one team, he said.
He added that although there were also the "erdogan" (liberal) and ulama factions in PAS, at the grassroots level they were united in facing the task at hand.
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