PETALING JAYA (June 20, 2010): FORMER finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, who predicted the fall of Selangor and Penang to the Opposition in the March 8, 2008 general election, says the opposition front, Pakatan Rakyat (PR), will probably retain only Kelantan and Penang in the next general election.
As for Selangor and Kedah, which is also government by PR, the chances of Barisan Nasional (BN) or PR emerging victorious was 50-50.
“As long as BN fields fresh and clean candidates, it surely can bring about changes (recapturing the two states),” the Umno veteran told Nanyang Siang Pau in an interview published today.
Asked for his opinion on PR’s chances of realising its ambition of taking over the federal government, Daim stressed that based on the present scenario, it is a tough challenge as, “it is not easy to achieve”.
He explained that since taking over the premiership, Datuk Seri Nazib Abdul Razak has been carrying out changes and striving hard to win the hearts of the rakyat, unlike before the last general election when BN neglected the shift in public sentiments, resulting in it losing several states.
“This time around, BN will surely make all preparations, with emphasis on winning the people’s hearts. It will definitely not allow another political tsunami to happen,” he said.
Given this, it would be overly optimistic of PR if it still thinks it can win people’s votes outright come the next general election.
Asked if he thinks the 2008 political tsunami would be extended to the next general election, Daim said it all depends on BN’s governance, whether its candidates are acceptable to the people, and whether PR has the capability to really play the role as an alternative front.
As it is, there is still a big gap between PR’s status quo and the alternative-front role it intends to play.
Daim stressed that PR is not as strong as people believe it is in Selangor and Kedah. As such, as long as BN can live up to people’s expectations, it can return to power in the two states.
He said as people become more educated, more informed and increasing critical, the candidates and not the parties they represent, will have more influence on how the people vote.
Daim aslo said it is tough for BN to recapture Kelantan and Penang "unless there is a general change in heart of the people in the two states".
“As such it is better for BN to concentrate in winning back states where it stands a better chance,” he said.
On the advantage PR has in Kelantan and Penang, Daim believed it has a lot to do with the local people’s sentiments, and BN will have to work hard to win the people’s hearts in order to recapture the two states, including ensuring fair and just governance.
He said changes made by Najib alone is not enough to win the people’s support. Leaders of other BN component parties must also go all-out to effect changes.
“There is currently a strange phenomenon, i.e. the people like the prime minister but dislike the (coalition) party he represents. Such a strange development warrants some serious thought by BN leaders in order to find a solution to it.”
He said if the situation does not change, BN will be in trouble in the coming general election.
Without mincing his words, he said if Umno and other BN component parties do not want to change now it would be too late for them to do so after the people have changed. -- theSun
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