Established parties rely on fear to win votes, says Nik Nazmi

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, leader of the Bersama political party, criticized established parties for relying on fear to gain support. He accused these parties of using "ghost stories" to threaten Malaysians with calamitous consequences if they didn't vote for them. Nik Nazmi claimed that both DAP and Umno engaged in this practice.

The Bersama co-leader further criticized major parties for using race-based narratives to appeal to voters, rather than addressing everyday concerns. He argued that the DAP's strategy, in particular, reinforced racial divisions among non-Malay voters. Rafizi Ramli noted that DAP repeatedly urged non-Malays to choose them as their "last line of defence" and the only party willing to speak for them.

Bersama aims to avoid these mistakes and establish itself through careful planning. The party expects it may take five to seven years to accumulate enough support to challenge the major political parties. In Penang, where political change was achieved in 2008, Bersama sees hope for a similar outcome if voters are dissatisfied with the current situation.