PONTIAN: Pakatan Harapan (PH) cannot rest on its laurels and continue to believe the rakyat will remain supportive towards the coalition after the historic 14th general election (GE14), which ended 61 years of Barisan Nasional’s (BN) rule, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Speaking to some 100 supporters at a stall in Pekan Nanas here last night, the PKR president said PH must remember that the coalition had stood for, and championed the rakyat’s causes in the past, that helped turn their support into votes in GE14.
Anwar said that he had reminded PH leaders not to be arrogant, adding that the leaders must listen to the grouses of the rakyat.
“Despite our wealth, with oil and other natural resources, only certain leaders and individuals reaped the benefits under the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government,“ he said in his address to PH supporters.
“But we cannot instantly solve every problems that the government is facing today. A mere 18 months ruling the country cannot compare to 62 years of BN rule.
“Millions of ringgit has been siphoned by the leaders (in the past). If these sums of money were to be used for the rakyat in Tanjung Piai, Port Dickson, Permatang Pauh or even Gopeng, all the people could live more comfortably,“ said Anwar, adding that it is important for the rakyat to continue supporting PH and its battle against corruption to reform the government.
He added ultimately, the nation’s leaders are answerable to the rakyat and that the people do not want to listen to the usual propaganda anymore.
He said that while his loyalty remains to the PH government, he had also urged MPs from both side of the political divide to help boost the people economy as their main priority.
“As an MP, my first duty is to support the government of the day. But as the parliamentary caucus chief (on reform and governance) I urged all the MPs to help restore our economy.
“I told them that we can have differences in opinions, and campaign against each other, but we must uphold the economy because the rakyat will continue to suffer if the economy is not being taken care of,“ he said, adding that he does not merely speak for the Malays, but for all races too.
Anwar’s appearance last night in Tanjung Piai, was part of PH’s campaign programme for the upcoming Nov 16, parliamentary by-election, that was called due to the sudden passing of its incumbent MP Datuk Dr Mohd Farid Md Rafiq on Sept 21.
The ruling coalition is facing an uphill battle to retain the seat, with decreasing support from the Chinese voters having been identified as one of the reasons. In GE14, Dr Farid won the parliamentary seat in a three cornered contest involving a BN and a PAS candidate, with a slim 524-vote majority.
The by-election will witness a six-cornered fight between PH’s candidate Karmaine Saidini, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng (BN), Wendy Subramaniam (Gerakan), Datuk Dr Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz (Berjasa) and two independent candidates, Dr Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar.
