Politics heat rises in Peninsular; cool, calm in Sarawak

KUCHING: It is predicted that Pakatan Harapan (PH) will have the advantage to win in the state elections in Peninsular Malaysia, said Datuk Peter Minos.
 
He said this will mean a lot to the current ruling government during elections as it is solid under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and to other key cabinet positions in its wing.
 
“The problem for PH is how to get UMNO candidates to be voted in when its top leader is facing a legal problem in the courts and has previously kicked or eased out many of the party’s good leaders.
 
“Many things in UMNO make voters unsure and uncertain about the party, to say the least,” said Minos in a statement today.
 
“As for the Democratic Action Party (DAP), it is said around that it cannot get along with UMNO and the Malay voters.
 
“Or that the Malay voters have a distrust of DAP, which has to focus on the Chinese to remain popular and survive,” he said.
 
Minos, who is a political observer, added that problems between UMNO and DAP, with some dissension within both parties, are not helpful to PH.
 
He also criticised Perikatan Nasional (PN), which only focuses on the weaknesses and failings of the ruling government, reminding voters that PH’s past promises have not been kept or fulfilled.
 
“What else can the opposition do? The high and rising cost of living and the falling ringgit value are repeatedly mentioned by PN as failures of PH.
 
“In difficult economic times, voters always blame it on the ruling government,” he said.
 
As for Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah, he said it is not easy for PH to dislodge Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) from there, while DAP will definitely hold on to Penang.
 
In addition, he stated that PH and PN are really slogging it out in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, with some saying it is a 50-50 situation.
 
“Some say it is tilting to PN because many Malay voters are not very keen on DAP and are not very happy with how UMNO is being run and led.
 
“Excluding Penang, which will go to DAP, the electoral battles are raging on in the other five states until polling day.
 
“It can go either way, PH or PN, but there are whispers going around that it is “hard going” for ruling PH without giving any solid reasons,” said Minos.
 
However, politically speaking, Minos said it is calm and cool in Sarawak and that people talk eagerly and happily about economic development and projects coming up.
 
Minos added that the premier does it passionately on all occasions, everywhere. It is all about how Sarawak is getting better in all fields and in all aspects.
 
“It is quite alarming in the Peninsular and almost like a raging firestorm, especially now during its election time there. Luckily, it is just a verbal and social media war, nothing physical.
 
“For us here, it is truly calm and cool. The politicians do not go around hitting each other over issues of race and religion.
 
“There is both political serenity and tranquilly in Sarawak that you can feel. What Korean Superstar Rain said is right; it is like heaven in Sarawak,” he stressed.