Unseating BN as federal govt is gargantuan task, says Sim

GEORGE TOWN: A PKR senior leader has admitted that the Opposition faces a gargantuan task to unseat Barisan Nasional (BN) as the federal government in the coming General Election.
However, PKR strategic planning director Sim Tze Tzin (pix) said that the fight continues as demonstrated by the conviction of its founder Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and supported by a former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed, who has said the country needs reforms.
Sim said Pakatan is an underdog in any electoral contests as BN brings with it great machinery and an experience of administering for the past 60 years.
He said Pakatan does not have the resources to check the alleged gerrymandering of voters with claims that there is now a backdoor delineation taking place where BN voters are secretly moved around constituencies.
This was on top of the proposed formal delineation which the Election Commission wants to carry out in the coming months, Sim claimed.
Speaking after a thanksgiving dinner here last night, Sim said Pakatan cannot take anything for granted as even its strongholds may come under siege by a rejuvenated BN coalition.
"Perhaps when a rival is cornered, they will fight back the fiercest so we have to be ready."
According to Sim, the voters have grown wiser over the last decade, and the outcome of the 2008 and 2013 elections illustrate it.
"It means the tactic of trying to instil fear or to draw a wedge along race and religious lines do not intimidate them anymore. They will vote for the persons they feel best represents to lead the country."
Also, keeping up intense pressure on the Opposition will not work as it would invoke a sense of sympathy among the discerning voters, Sim said.
A wiser and a conscious voter will also enable Pakatan to thrive in a three-cornered fight since PAS is intent in destroying Pakatan, Sim said.
He said majority of the voters have made up their mind on who to vote for the election so the present onslaught of BN by using the government's enforcement arm such as the police and the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) may not affect the voters.
And if the voters are not rattled, the Opposition leaders will also not be swayed by the level of "attacks" which BN has waged on them, Sim noted.
Hence, he was confident that whatever attempts that BN intends to inflict on the Opposition will not meet its desired results.
"I think we should just go back to serving the people and deciding what is best for the nation instead of trying to divide and rule."
In the end, the truth and capabilities always tend to win over deceits and incapability, said Sim.