Malaysians would vote based on perception and hate
In Malaysia (as can be said for many other countries as well) people vote based on perception and hate. And sometimes the hate itself is based on perception and not on truth. So hate — perceived or otherwise — decides how Malaysians would vote.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
I am reading so many articles analysing how the voters are going to vote in this weekend’s Melaka state election and the reason why they will vote for either Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional or Perikatan Nasional.
As academic essays, these arguments make sense. But reality is very far from theory when it comes to sentiments, emotions, and perception. I mean, if logic and common sense decide how you think — instead of sentiments, emotions, and perception — then religions are going to lose their market.
In Malaysia (as can be said for many other countries as well) people vote based on perception and hate. And sometimes the hate itself is based on perception and not on truth. So hate — perceived or otherwise — decides how Malaysians would vote.
Chinese support DAP because they hate Umno and PAS
DAP claims that more than 97% of the Chinese vote for DAP. And hence by extension they vote for Pakatan Harapan.
And why do almost all Malaysian Chinese (and other non-Malays as well) vote for DAP-Pakatan Harapan?
Because they hate Umno, PAS, and by extension, Barisan Nasional. They do not love Pakatan Harapan. But they vote Pakatan Harapan anyway because they hate Umno, PAS and Barisan Nasional.
Why do the Chinese hate Umno, PAS and Barisan Nasional? Because they perceive Umno as a racist party, PAS as an Islamic extremist or Taliban party, and Barisan Nasional is an Umno ‘running dog’.
PAS members hate DAP because DAP is anti-Islam
The non-Malays in general fear an Islamic Malaysia, so they hate the idea (and this is what will happen if PAS comes to power, say DAP and Pakatan Harapan). They say non-Malays will lose their ‘right’ to gamble, get drunk and have sex with prostitutes in brothels and massage parlours (which are vices guaranteed by the Federal Constitution of Malaysia) if Malaysia is turned into an Islamic country.
Living an immoral lifestyle is part of human rights and civil liberties, and the government must not deny non-Muslims the right to be immoral, argues DAP. And if PAS comes to power and Malaysia becomes more Islamic, those rights will be denied to the non-Muslims.
PAN is seen as a DAP running dog who support gambling and drinking
So, because gambling, getting drunk and having sex with prostitutes in brothels and massage parlours will be curtailed by an Islamic government, the non-Malays hate PAS. And because they hate PAS they will vote for DAP, and by extension for PKR and PAN as well.
The non-Malays also feel they are subject to discrimination and are treated as second-class citizens because of Article 153 and other Articles in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia that favour Malays and Bumiputeras. The New Economic Policy (NEP) also discriminates against the non-Malays, says DAP and its Chinese supporters.
And all this is happening because of Umno and its ‘Malay supremacy’ or ‘ketuanan Melayu’ policy. Hence the non-Malays hate Umno and all its stands for, plus by extension Barisan Nasional as well. The only way the non-Malays will get equal treatment and justice would be to kick Umno and Barisan Nasional out and vote for another party to take over the government.
Umno activists stir up hate against PAS and Bersatu but are less brutal towards DAP and Pakatan Harapan
So, you hate alternative 1 and that means you will vote for alternative 2. But when there are three alternatives, such as what is happening in Melaka, you will vote for whoever is the lesser of the evil. All three may be useless but one is less useless than the other two. Hence you vote for that one mainly because you perceive the other two as lagi teruk and you hate them.
If you watch the videos by Umno activists such as Lokman Adam, Isham Jalil, and so on, you can see that what they say is aimed at making Malays hate Bersatu and Muhyiddin Yassin. It is the same with DAP. Whatever DAP leaders say is aimed at making Chinese and Indians hate PAS. It is like a tag-team. Umno attacks Bersatu and DAP attacks PAS by stirring up hate.
