PPBM is Pakatan Harapan’s weakest link

THE saying that “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link” illustrates opposition pact Pakatan Harapan well in recent times.

So much so that the odds of the pact being cornered by criticisms are high, concerning links with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s tainted image as an unprincipled leader, who is riding in the political wilderness in the form of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).

Controversies over Dr Mahathir’s checkered leadership history, his willingness to return to power as prime minister and the pact’s prime minister candidacy goof, apart from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir’s ineffective charisma, are shackling progress.

Core issues affecting the pact centred on its apparent waning support among the youth, especially the desired voting bloc, aged between 21 and 30, all 3.7 million of them.

University of Tasmania’s Professor Dr James Chin, in an analysis that pointed out at how the mess in Pakatan Harapan would indirectly raise points for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Barisan Nasional, outlined fears of youth following Dr Mahathir’s return to politics.

“There is a sense among urban voters that Dr Mahathir cannot be trusted and is only using the opposition to capture power. Some fear that once in power, he will revert to his authoritarian ways.

“Hence, there is a real danger that educated, urban voters will protest Dr Mahathir’s recalcitrance by simply staying at home during the general election, rather than voting for the opposition, which indirectly helps Najib,” Chin said in his piece published in the East Asia Forum website.

Pact leaders are rushing to mitigate the potential loss of support as seen during a talk with a group of youth earlier this week, in which PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli allayed worries about Dr Mahathir’s involvement in the opposition camp.

Worse, another PKR vice-president, Nurul Izzah Anwar, reportedly acknowledged the controversies posed by Dr Mahathir and confirmed that talks on the pact’s prime ministerial candidates would only be held behind closed doors.

Dr Mahathir’s latest brush with the royal households of Johor and Selangor, which stemmed from his racially-charged statement on the Bugis community, was a prelude to another controversy that might cost votes from the royalist segment of Malays.

“His racist taunts have incurred the displeasure of His Majesty the sultan of Johor and angered the sultan of Selangor. Even Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla has deemed it diplomatically fit to protest (against Dr Mahathir).

“No political leader should ever ask any Malaysian to ‘balik’ (return) to their place of ethnic origin,” MCA publicity spokesman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said.

Professor Dr Azizuddin Mohd Sani, director of Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Research and Innovation Management Centre, said Pakatan Harapan’s prospects of scoring big in the 14th General Election was dubitable.

“PPBM and Dr Mahathir are undoubtedly a baggage for Pakatan Harapan. Not only are there those who are bitter with Dr Mahathir, but even pro-opposition non-governmental organisations are not keen to have him around.

“Dr Mahathir being part of the opposition is a huge ammunition for BN. It is something difficult for the opposition pact to deal with. The issues that they had made against Dr Mahathir are now their responsibility to shoulder.”

Previously, when the Pakatan Rakyat pact went bust, many singled out the differences in ideologies between members, particularly Pas and DAP, that had led to the break-up.

Similarly, Azizuddin believes PPBM’s ideology is vastly different than its partners, PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara (PAN).

“PPBM remains conservative in its objectives, compared with PKR, DAP and PAN, which appear to be more liberal. Therein lies the differences in ideology. It is not wrong to state the obvious that Dr Mahathir and PPBM are not really going all out against BN.

“They are only working on a personal vendetta against Najib. It does not help when Muhyiddin and Mukhriz are not charismatic leaders. Yes, they do have their own set of supporters, but they are not as outstanding (to hold the torch).”

Azizuddin said Pakatan Harapan should rethink its strategy in GE14, and move on without PPBM.

“Urban voters, for example, are realistic.

“They are more concerned about policies, for example, the economy, rather than being muddled by incessant politicking.

“They do not want Dr Mahathir to be back at the top and run the country.

“Suffice to say that Pakatan should leave PPBM out of the equation.”