Both Umno MP’s were quick to dismiss the viability of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, even as their own party’s leadership turmoil is the subject of wagging tongues everywhere.
Briefly on that viability, I will once again say there is so much more that brings us together, than that tears us apart.
On the Islamic state for instance – if I’m not mistaken, not a *single* Pas leader has brought this up in the past months and years. This can’t be easy. They even took the trouble to build their 2008 manifesto around the concept of a Welfare State instead.
The last time YB Lim Kit Siang tried to do a whole anti-Pas thing, the public responded quite unkindly.
So, as everyone said at the first Pakatan press conference, it’s clear the people want greater cooperation, and that’s what they’re going to get. Rakyat = important, minor differences = not important.
What I really wanted to write about was positivity.
In low brow politics, personal attacks are rife. I heard the Hillary Clinton campaign is employing this method increasingly, but to a cold reception. Sounds a little like the last minute personal attacks on Anwar leading up to March 8th.
BN should take heed. Rightly or wrongly, I’m starting to feel that negativity in politics is extremely counterproductive. Aimlessly bad mouthing your opponents tends to backfire.
Criticism is fine, but it has to be of substance, and constructively construed, with ready alternatives. If not, you’ll just end up looking like a half empty kettle blowing out steam.
To make matters worse, Azalina announces the cancellation of MOU’s between the new state governments and the tourism ministry – a clearly punitive and vengeful act.
This sort of thing will only score you points with your hardcore supporters (think those guys who threw out the gentleman who wanted to bring Anwar back to Umno). Now that the rakyat has accepted without incident the five new state governments, does Azalina really think this decision will go down well with the public?
Does she think that the rakyat will come begging back to BN because their precious MOU’s were torn up?
More likely the rakyat will figure if that’s the game they want to play, perhaps they need both a new Tourism Minister and a new federal government.
You want votes, earn them the hard way – by working your butt off, and always putting the rakyat’s interest first. Being childish isn’t going to help.
ps- Azalina has been taking a fair beating in the blogs for this statement. With all the hoo ha about how the ‘mighty’ internet ‘brought down’ BN, let’s see if she responds positively to this criticism.
I’ve never paid any attention to this Azalina character before – but I’m certainly NOT impressed by her level of consciousness. She comes across as an unfortunate byproduct of Umno Baru politicking a la Mahathir – sending out clear signals that she puts personal and party interests above the national good and is incapable of rising above spitefulness and vindictiveness.
Cancel the existing MOUs to make way for fresh arrangements in order to ‘grease’ some palms – its a thought. Old MOUs of ‘no use’ what!!!
- a clear punitive and vengeful act –
Well said. What can you expect from the federal government under BN? Expect them to be Father Christmas? How do you expect the downline ministers to uphold righteousness when the sleepy head dont set a good example himself?
Another plus point for PR.
“You want votes, earn them the hard way – by working your butt off, and always putting the rakyat’s interest first.”
Very apt indeed! Remember that Azalina was elected without a contest, so she didn’t even have to fish for votes.
Just goes to show their continued arrogance. Their leaders keep saying they must take the lessons, the rakyat dished out to them, to heart but it’s all just talk. They haven’t learnt anything, have they?
Having said that one must congratulate Samy Vellu (whatever his true motives are) for calling for the release of the Hindraf 5. Again the powers that be have arrogantly rejected the suggestion.
i DON’T understand why we have such arrogant and stupid minister, how can we move forward with such a irresponsible person and malicious mind to againts our people power.
This stupid idiot person pretending to be a minister is a complete fool. This are the people who cannot understand that you don’t mix politics with governance or administration.
Maybe she should get married first to have a better prespective.
nat: :) to be fair, i don’t think her marital status has that much to do with it :)
hear! hear!
nat on good form today.
1. work hard for votes – yes!!! not go on silly road shows to probe what went wrong, as suggested by DPM
2. constuctive criticsm – go read mana mana (the ex malay mail guy’s blog) for defination of half boiling kettle.
3. azalina – hmm… enough said already la…
yup, best way to kick BN out and she will not have any further opportunity to victimise the rakyat who has voted for a change. anyway, who is she? even Wamita Umno doesnt know her status, according to the AP Queen.
She is just missing the points. This is just not the time to be smart!
As BN strives hard to call for reform, to win back public’s confidence they once glorious, azalina’s speech has just caused all the efforts down the drain and brought BN down to not even square 1, should be square “-1″!
I wondered where is the spirit of “for the rakyat”?
I think the five states should just tell this Tourism Minister to go jump in the lake and come up with their own tourism programs. Afterall the infrastructure is already in place.
Me thinks by getting the best brain power available to them, the new state govts can come up with a compelling program to attract visitors. Furthermore, with their manifesto of a clean, honest, tranparent and accountable government, Anwar and gang can attract a lot more foreign investments than BN controlled states. Singapore is a fine example. A mere island that receives 5 times more FDIs than M’sia. What is their secret? An honest. efficient and productive administration with absolutely no hanky panky. A foreign investor knows that absolutely every sen of his money will be accounted for through the rule of law.
If the PR states is diligent on administering the % states under their control I’m pretty sure that dunggus like Azalina will get to see the way a country should be run
Nat, will you feel better if you know that she has been chambered in the fart room?