Why PR Fail In Bagan Pinang?
Even before the results was released, I already anticipated that PAS had only a good 50% chance of winning. My instincts say it ain’t going to be a smooth ride because Bagan Pinang was indeed a hardcore stronghold for BN. Although it was a landslide win for Isa Samad, still any logic thinking person would smell something fishy within those 5000+ majority that he garnered. Well, a lost still a lost and there’s nothing much we can do about but to reflect to ourselves for the mistake that had taken place.
Recent issues that involves internal PR tussles disappoint me abit, but heck, I hope this BN win will awake PR camp from their deep sleep. Wake up or get bucked out.
Here is my take on why PR lost in Bagan Pinang.
PR’s factor
- Too many internal tussles especially in selangor (affected: all)
- Hasan Ali’s ‘extremism’ (affected: Chinese, Indian)
- Hindu temple issue (affected: Indian)
- Kg.Buah Pala (affected: Indian)
- PR campaign in disarray (affected: all)
- PR is still a loose coalition in the eyes of the public (affected: all)
- BP is traditionally a BN stronghold. PR did not do their homework EARLY.
- PR was seen too overconfident
- PAS Zul aint local!
External factors
- Makkal Sakthi (Party) shifted sides (affected: Indians)
- Army postal votes (affected: all)
- Isa Samad did contributed something in PD during this tenure before his suspension (affected: Malays)
- Isa Samad is more popular figure compared to (newbie) Zul (affected: Malays)
- BN’s promise has tempted the poor and marginalised (affected: Indians)
- Neo-media did not make any presence in the rural areas (affected: all)
- BN psychological warfare works
Remedy
- DAP-PAS reconciliation is a good start (but come too late prior to this by-election)
- Register PR as an official coalition, so contesting components can use a single logo & identity to contest
- Start doing homeworks now especially in BN strongholds Parliament or DUNs
- Educated the rural about the new media
- Setup a PR academy – train gifted future PR apprentices in political skills, oratory skills, language skills (speak proper BM esp DAP reps), people management skills, resource management etc
- Differences must be settled behind closed doors unknown to the media.
- Introduce a ‘mouth-shutting’ mechanism to prevent PR members behaving like a loose-cannon.
- Put asides ideological differences, and strive for a common goal to be a more people-friendly rep & govt.
- Stop allowing party hoppers in PR especially the rejected, problematic, frustrated BN members into PR.
- PR leaders must be more realistic and deliver only what they can really offer. No chance for empty promises. Period. (DSAI’s 16 Sept 08 flop is a good example)
- Weed out a) incompetent YB’s b) rogue YB’s. Get rid of those cancer!
All in all is just my 2 cents for the betterment of PR and I would love to see PR rule Perak again.