GOMBAK: Pakatan Harapan (PH) will lose federal power if the 15th General Election (GE15) is held tomorrow, according to a leader from the coalition.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) policy and strategy bureau chief Datuk Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff (pix) said the euphoria of winning the general election last year has died down, and with it, came a democratic backlash over the many concerns faced by the public.
He warned that these concerns, including the issues of unemployment, cost of living and skewed priorities that affect the Malay-Muslims in particular, would be the determining factor in GE15, especially if nothing was done to address them.
“We have to start listening to the Rakyat. We are now doing what BN used to do, we are failing. We think we have power, therefore (the recent by-election results that went against PH) are insignificant.
“We may have about three years left (before the next general election), but if we do nothing, what’s going to happen then?
“Given the current sentiments, if we are to have the general election tomorrow, the new pact of Umno and PAS will win, hands down,” he said in the Post-GE14 By-Elections: Implications for GE15 forum, here, today.
“The thing is, PH has stopped listening to the people,” he added.
Rais noted how PH had lost the last three by-elections it contested in the peninsular — Cameron Highlands, Semenyih and Rantau — and that this could be an indicator of how the coalition would fare in the next general election, slated for 2023.
“Yes, the by-elections can be an indicator if PH does not do anything different from what they are doing now. However, PH still have three years to address the issues, and they can correct them,” he said.
Rais explained that the coalition has to now focus on five core issues if it wishes to continue being in the government, namely the cost of living, quality of living, jobs, affordable homes and affordable healthcare.
He added that the recent move to lower the voting age to 18 would also not necessarily play in the favour of PH, noting that young voters were not “brand loyal”.
“It’s a double-edged sword, and can be used against PH. The youth couldn’t care less about the parties, what they want is credible jobs,” he said.
