PH juga dapat manfaat tak langsung daripada politik identiti, kata Kian Ming
Bekas Ahli Parlimen Bangi berkata PH sebelum ini turut menyeru pengundi bukan Melayu bersatu, sama seperti BN dan PN yang menggesa orang Melayu sokong mereka.
Former DAP MP Ong Kian Ming questioned why Pakatan Harapan (PH) failed to nominate Malay local councilors and leaders as candidates in the PRN (Negeri Sembilan) state election. During an appearance on 'Keluar Sekejap', Ong argued that PH had previously benefited from identity politics in previous elections, and it was not fair to solely blame opposing parties' identity politics for their defeat.
He pointed out that both PH and the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) had previously appealed to non-Malay voters to unite for greater power. Ong further suggested that the narrative of Malay unity among PH and Malay unity among BN/PN had changed slightly now. Former Finance Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who was present at the debate, agreed with Ong's perspective, noting that both scenarios involved a subtle appeal to voters based on their identity without explicitly stating it.
Khairy also dismissed accusations that BN's campaign lacked substance, highlighting the issues they addressed, such as local leadership, property taxes, job opportunities, and foreign investments. Another panelist, former Umno Public Relations chief Shahril Hamdan, said that identity politics had long been a part of Malaysia's political landscape and PH should not be surprised by it.
He argued that if PH wants to avoid identity politics, it should offer a better narrative to convince Malay voters based on its performance and reform promises. However, he criticized PH for failing to nominate Malay local councilors and leaders as strong candidates in the PRN election, pointing out that while there were Malay candidates in Perling, Johor, B Pannir Selvam, had built a strong reputation for working with the community, particularly the Malay community.
Ong also questioned why PH didn't nominate Malay local leaders as candidates in the PRN election, using B Pannir Selvam's campaign as an example, highlighting the need for strong Malay local candidates to secure voter support based on their work.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
