10 reasons why I do not support the opposition

Raja Petra Kamarudin

These are my top ten reasons for not supporting the opposition:

I do not support the opposition because….the opposition has not proven itself capable of running this country. No doubt the ruling party can’t either. But at least we know that the ruling party can’t. We do not know yet whether the opposition can. It is always safer to place bets on a known commodity, however bad it may be, than risk the unknown, however good it may be. A devil you know is better than an angel you don’t.

I do not support the opposition because….I am not confident the opposition can win enough seats to form the government. If the opposition can get enough seats to form the government, then I will support it. If not I would rather not take that risk and instead support the ruling party that is assured of winning the election.

I do not support the opposition because….PAS is in the opposition and PAS aspires to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State. I do not agree with an Islamic State. If PAS agrees to drop its Islamic State agenda, then I will support the opposition. But even then I am not sure because I do not trust PAS and, once the opposition wins the election, PAS might change its stand.

I do not support the opposition because….DAP is in the opposition and DAP wants to remove Malay special rights and privileges and introduce equality for all Malaysians. I do not agree with abolishing Malay special rights and privileges in favour of meritocracy. If DAP agrees to drop its meritocracy agenda, then I will support the opposition. But even then I am not sure because I do not trust DAP and, once the opposition wins the election, DAP might change its stand.

I do not support the opposition because….keADILan is in the opposition and keADILan is a party that only wants to promote the interests of Anwar Ibrahim. I am also wary of keADILan’s leaders, many of whom used to be in Umno, and I suspect that if Anwar Ibrahim goes back to Umno most would follow him and the party would close down just like what happened to Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Semangat 46.

I do not support the opposition because….the opposition talks only about human rights, justice, independence of the judiciary and media, an end to corruption and extravagant spending of the government, and issues related to good governance and fundamental liberties. However, I am not sure if the opposition would be able to manage the economy, which is more important and, in spite of the shortcomings of the ruling party, at least it has proven it can manage the economy.

I do not support the opposition because….the opposition is not united and is always at odds on various issues. The ruling party, however, appears more united in that none of the other 13 component parties in Barisan Nasional would dare argue or disagree with Umno — so peace reigns in the ruling party. On the other hand, no one in the opposition is ‘Boss’ and all are equal, so it is very difficult for the opposition to settle things like in the ruling party where Umno is the Boss and it calls the shots.

I do not support the opposition because….the opposition divides the people along religious lines. PAS propagates an Islamic system of government, where the non-Muslims would become second-class citizens. DAP, on the other hand, opposes the Islamic State, so it stirs the sentiments of the Muslims who see the non-Muslims as enemies of Islam. The ruling party, however, only plays the race card and divides the people along racial lines where non-Malays become second-class citizens, which is better than dividing the people along religious lines.

I do not support the opposition because….if the opposition wins in my area but is not able to form the government because it did not win in other areas, then we would be penalised and would suffer when the government starves development in my area or refuses to repair the roads, street lights and so on — and we would be left behind while other areas would receive development. I am also dependent on the government for scholarships, work, contracts and so on, so I cannot be seen to be an opposition supporter or else this would jeopardise everything. If the opposition wins the election and forms the government then I have no problems supporting them, as then they would now be the ruling party and I would not be exposing myself to any risk.

I do not support the opposition because….the ruling party is strong and has plenty of money and has the entire government machinery at its disposal plus has the Election Commission in its pocket, while the opposition is weak, has no money, and has absolutely no resources to fight the powerful ruling party. The ruling party would win the election even before Polling Day so it is futile to support the opposition which has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning.