THE results of the recent by-election in Bukit Gantang strongly signal that Perakians want the Pakatan Rakyat government to continue to serve them. It is their preferred chosen government and they have given the thumbs-down to the Barisan Nasional (BN) government led by Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
When the voters elected PAS’s Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin in Bukit Gantang with a bigger majority, it was meant to punish the BN. It was also meant to send a strong signal to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that the electorate was thoroughly disgusted with him for engineering the fall of the duly elected Perak state government.
A worker removing party flags and streamers the day after polling day on 7 April
(Pic by Raj Kumar, courtesy of theSun)
Aliran hopes that this message will not go unnoticed. This is why Aliran would like to appeal — yet again — to the Sultan of Perak to reconsider his decision [not to dissolve the state assembly]. The Perak government cannot be in a limbo, especially in these difficult times of economic uncertainties.
We earnestly appeal to His Royal Highness to allow his subjects to decide on the government of their choice in a fresh election. Aliran would also like to appeal to Zambry to do the only honorable thing for which he will be remembered: please resign and pave the way for fresh elections.
The outcome of the Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau by-elections have confirmed that there is no stopping the Pakatan Rakyat, no matter what means the BN adopts or devices it uses to reach out to the electorate.
For Umno, the results have been devastating. It has not recovered lost ground, and has not revived its fortunes in spite of changing its president and acclaiming Najib as the sixth prime minister of Malaysia.
The peninsula victories of the Pakatan over the BN have reaffirmed that the ground has indeed shifted in favour of the opposition. The results must be viewed as a damning referendum on Najib, Umno, the BN and the government.
P Ramakrishnan
President
Aliran
beeyong says
To attain a win-win situation, Zam should resign on a “no confidence motion” and Nizar be re-appointed as the new MB. With no massive by-elections, it will be very cost-effective.