Uphill battle for Opposition: DAP

GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Harapan can only win the 14th general election if the alliance of four parties grabs more than 50% of the Malay electorate and maintains its 70% dominance in the Chinese and Indian voting blocks.
Not to mention, it is faring moderately well in Sabah and Sarawak, said DAP strategist Liew Chin Tong, who added that multiple cornered fights can have an impact but not to an extent that it ruins either Pakatan or Barisan Nasional (BN).
Speaking to theSun, Liew, who is expected to defend his Kluang parliamentary seat, said that Pakatan will only make significant inroads if the Malay / Muslim ground warms up to the proposition of change.
"If they continue to choose status quo over the prospects of real change to the country's fortunes then it will remain static, and we will continue to digress under the stigma of the racial and religious divide," said Liew.
Liew said that Pakatan's inability to secure the right Malay voting bank was proven to be an obstacle in the last two elections of 2008 and 2013.
And with its charismatic leader of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim imprisoned, Liew hopes that former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed can deliver the right tonic for Pakatan to finally topple Barisan Nasional after some 60 years of rule.
Despite the relentless criticism hurled at Mahathir, Pakatan remains entrenched in its belief that the nonagenarian can make it count where it matters.
"It sounds like a cliché, but voters are now better informed and educated enough to distinguish when politicians tell the truth and when they lie."
The election battlegrounds are shaping up in the semi – urbanised localities where voters have limited access to the information flow brought on by social media and the growing importance of internet connectivity.
According to Liew, there might be resentment among voters towards the political parties in the country as each bloc has suffered a spate of setbacks.
Hence, the "#undirosak" campaign online to encourage the young to either boycott or spoil their votes to protest against the current political set up.
Liew said that such a campaign was believed to be spearheaded by young non-Malays, who were born after Mahathir's era and have only experienced the political turmoil which had engulfed the country since 2008.
But given time, Liew said that Pakatan may be able to address their grievances so they can realise that a high turnout would also benefit them.
He also pointed out that BN was fearful of such a campaign too, as the Malay electorate might suffer from a poor voter turnout.
"The Malay ground is unhappy with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang over the direction of the country. Due to their sheer numbers, they represent the group worst hit by the poor economic performance, especially when the ringgit plummeted."
Najib for his handling of the economy whereas Hadi for dividing the Muslim ground, were the two main negativities for them, Liew said.
He concluded that as long as the living cost goes up, the popularity of Najib and Hadi would go down; and it has nothing to do with race or religion – it is the same effect globally as a poor economy affects everyone; regardless of race or religion.