PKR losing public confidence

A VETERAN Malaysian lawmaker warned on Sunday the opposition alliance was suffering from a ’bout of loss of public confidence’ after it enjoyed unprecedented success in national polls last year.

The Pakatan Rakyat alliance seized control of a third of seats in parliament in the 2008 elections, dealing the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition its worst results in the half-century it has governed Malaysia.

However, the three parties in the unlikely opposition alliance – the conservative Islamic party PAS, the liberal Democratic Action Party (DAP) and multi-racial Keadilan – have each been hit by infighting since.

Lim Kit Siang, a senior legislator from DAP, urged the alliance to ‘impose discipline among their leaders’ to protect the opposition’s image, especially after its defeat in a by-election earlier this month.

‘Pakatan Rakyat had been suffering a prolonged and unceasing bout of loss of public confidence… to convince the Malaysian electorate in its credibility, cohesion, integrity and common sense of purpose,’ he said in a statement.

Mr Lim cited BN’s by-election victory in the parliament of central Negri Sembilan state two weeks ago as an example, saying the opposition ‘cannot take the setback lightly and must not be in denial about its weaknesses and faults’. — AFP