Save Pakatan from being 'one-GE wonder'
MalaysiaKini.com
Sept 29, 2014

Public confidence in the opposition bloc must be restored to save it from being a "one-general election wonder", said DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.

He added that the two prerequisites for this are the reaffirmation of the common policy framework and the consensus principle.
 
"There can be no doubt that both these factors were critical in Pakatan Rakyat’s electoral success in GE13," he said, referring to it winning 89 parliamentary seats and 229 state assembly seats. 

He also warned that Pakatan rivals were attempting to cause fissures in the coalition.

"Pakatan has emerged from its worst crisis in its six-year history. Pessimists, whether inside the coalition or outside, have grave doubts about the continued viability of Pakatan while optimists are a distinct minority.

"Meanwhile, Umno and BN leaders and strategists are working overtime to sow dissension and fan division in Pakatan," he said in a statement.
 
Lim was referring to the allegations that PAS was being "bullied" by DAP as reported by the Umno mouthpiece Mingguan Malaysia.
 
"The allegations are preposterous and untrue," said Lim, adding that Umno/BN propagandists were only interested in disseminating lies and falsehood.

The question on everyone's mind, he said, is whether Pakatan would be around as a coalition to contest GE14 to replace BN in Putrajaya.

Lim also said it did not serve any purpose to play down the "grave damage" inflicted on Pakatan as a result of Selangor menteri besar crisis.

'BN projected to win more seats'

Lim, who is also MP for Gelang Patah, said that based on the Pengkalan Kubor by-election result, BN would go from winning 12 state seats in GE13 to 25 in the next GE.
 
He also said that at parliamentary level, BN would go from winning five parliamentary seats to eight.
 
"Pakatan’s marginal parliament seats such as Kuala Krai, Pasir Puteh and Bachok will be lost to BN," he added. 
 
Lim also touched on the Teluk Intan parliamentary by-election in May where the DAP candidate’s  share of votes dropped from 56.3 percent in GE13 to 49.9 percent.
 
"If this result is projected to all the state and parliamentary seats in Perak, BN's advantage in the state legislature will increase from 31 state seats in GE13 to 36 seats.
 
Pakatan would also lose parliamentary seats like Bukit Gantang, Sungai Siput, Beruas and Kampar," Lim said. 
 
He maintained that Pakatan and the leadership council will only function if there is unanimous agreement to consensus being a "guiding operating principle".
 
He suggested creating a committee of three or four representatives from each Pakatan component party to study and make recommendations on this. 
 
BN veteran Mah Siew Keong (left) had recaptured the Teluk Intan seat with 20,157 votes ahead of first time candidate Dyana Sofea Mohd Daud at 19,919 votes.
 
In the Pengkalan Kubor by-election, Kelantan Umno candidate Mat Razi Mat Ail won with 9,961 votes, defeating PAS' candidate Wan Rosdi Wan Ibrahim (7,326) and Independent Izat Bukhary Ismail (38).

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