Don’t repeat PH’s mistake of being overconfident, Umno told
PETALING JAYA: A political scientist has advised Umno to learn from the mistakes of Pakatan Harapan (PH) which became overconfident after winning the last general election and forming the government.
Wong Chin Huat said PH had taken on a “gambler’s mentality”, becoming very confident that it would not suffer any big loss during its time in Putrajaya.
He said the PH government collapsed after just 22 months because it had forgotten about the two-party system and had instead hoped to replace Barisan Nasional (BN) as the dominant coalition.
“Therefore, it was not keen to do away with selective prosecution or implement full-fledged parliamentary reforms. I think if Umno is on the rise, it must not repeat the mistake of PH,” he said.
He was speaking at a webinar titled “Recall Elections: A Solution to Party-Hopping in Malaysia?” organised by Bait Al-Amanah today. Other panellists included Umno leaders Shahrir Abdul Samad, Abdul Rahman Dahlan and Shahril Hamdan, the DAP’s Wong Shu Qi and Bersih 2.0 chairman Thomas Fann.
Wong said it was a “given” that Umno would be part of the next government. What was unclear, he added, was whether it would play a senior or junior role.
He also said it was a “good sign” that certain Umno leaders were now talking about political reforms.
“In the past, if you think about reforms from Umno politicians, it normally happens in their splinter parties like Semangat 46, PKR and PPBM. This is the first time that mainstream Umno is taking political reform seriously,” he said.
He reminded Umno that in order to make a difference, Malay nationalism should not be linked to authoritarianism or patronage, which was a point all party members must keep in mind.
Meanwhile, Kluang MP Shu Qi said in order to successfully establish reforms, it was important to educate the public and let them know that politics cannot be a game for the elites.
She said the people must be empowered and have a say in what their elected representatives do during their tenure, not just once every five years.
This article first appeared in Free Malaysia Today on 06 April 2021.
