Election issues which could be decisive for parties
Lim Mun Fah, Sin Chew Daily
Election campaign activities are reaching a climax. PAS deputy spiritual leader Datuk Dr Haron Din’s statement of implementing hudud laws if Pakatan Rakyat takes over the federal government even if the DAP opposes the move has allowed the BN, originally caught in a position of being attacked, to grab an opportunity to launch a counter-attack against Pakatan Rakyat.
Despite Haron later saying that the question of whether to implement hudud laws or not was the internal affairs of the three Pakatan component parties and thus should be negotiated and hudud laws are only applicable to Muslims, his earlier remarks have set off ripples and again brought the conflict between PAS and the DAP to the surface.
DAP chairman Karpal Singh immediately issued a statement, stressing that the DAP firmly opposes to the establishment of an Islamic state and the implementation of hudud laws. Party parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang also pointed out that the implementation of hudud laws is just PAS’s target and has never been an agreed political programme of Pakatan Rakyat.
It can be predicted that the BN will keep attacking Pakatan Rakyat on the issue as many Chinese of the older generation are still fear of an Islamic state and hudud laws. BN needs only to strengthen their fear to win their support.
However, BN has also made some mistakes that can be taken advantage of by Pakatan Rakyat. For instance, it is a mistake to allow controversial figure Datuk Zulkifli Noordin to contest the Shah Alam parliamentary seat as a “friend of the BN”. The notorious Zulkifli is Perkasa’s vice-president and his remarks insulting Hinduism had caused an uproar. Not only the Indian community dislikes him, the Chinese community also regards him as an extreme racist.
Similarly, infamous Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali will be contesting in Pasir Mas parliamentary constituency while BN candidate Che Johan Che Pa did not only withdraw from challenging him, but also openly pledged to support him. It has triggered strong dissatisfaction and criticisms in the Chinese community. Pakatan Rakyat even accused Che Johan of following the instructions of Umno and the so-called disciplinary action to be taken against him was just a show.
Chinese education is another issue affecting the voting tendency of the Chinese community. After the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) made five demands, DAP deputy chairman Tan Kok Wai said that it did not make sense and urged Dong Zong to stop the act and stand beside the DAP. BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s political secretary Wong Nai Chee later accused Dong Zong of raising the threshold by demanding the replacement of SPM Bahasa Malaysia with UEC Bahasa Malaysia, causing an impasse to the recognition of UEC. Dong Zong urged Tan not ignore the role and independence of non-governmental organisations while accusing Wong of starting a rumour.
Obviously, Dong Zong’s principle to go beyond political parties but not politics is favourable to neither the BN nor Pakatan Rakyat. However, if its demands are reasonable, political parties should respect and be co-operative instead of using the recognition of UEC and Chinese independent schools as political chips. Although the reputation of Dong Zong has somewhat faded over all these years, its status and influence in the Chinese community should not be underestimated. It is not wise to be hostile to Dong Zong.
As the election campaign intensifies, it is expected that issues like hudud laws and Chinese education will continue to ferment and even play a role in the voting trend. It is now up to political parties to take control of these issues and turn them in their favour.
