Masing: BN win in Rantau shows voters’ discontent with PH

KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing said Barisan Nasional (BN) win at Rantau by- election in Negeri Sembilan – third in a row of by- elections – is reflection of Malaysian voters’ discontent with broken promises of Pakatan Harapan (PH).

The majority in Rantau also rejected PH because of the blame game played by PH government as well as its inability to move forward, opined Masing, whose party PRS is a component of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), a coalition formed weeks after BN lost Putrajaya to PH in the May 9, 2018 parliamentary election.

Masing said: “PH failed in keeping its promises. On top of that there are many U-turns made by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad on his policies and these are indication that he is not quite focused on matters of the state. He shouldn’t continue to play the blame game every time they fail to administer this nation! PH was elected to govern, let them govern this country.”

Masing then compared previous prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak with Dr Mahathir.

“Ex-PM Najib didn’t accuse Mahathir or Abdullah if he made mistakes during his time as PM. He ( Najib) didn’t even blame Mahathir’s 22 years as PM for creating kleptocracy or national debt when Mahathir was the PM and president of Umno during his reign,” said Masing, who is also Deputy Chief Minister and Baleh assemblyman.

“The blame game is not an excuse for PH’s failures and incompetency,” he stressed.

Umno deputy president and former Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Hasan won the Rantau by-election by a majority of 4,510 votes after securing 10,397 votes over his closet rival Dr S Streram of PH who garnered 5,887 votes.

Two other contestants, namely independents – housewife R Malarvizhi and former lecturer Mohd Nor Yassin – lost their election deposits.

The by- election was called after the Federal Court dismissed an appeal filed by Mohamad to set aside an election court decision to declare his victory in the 14th general election at Rantau null and void.

The last two by- elections which the BN also won were at Cameron Highlands and Semenyih.

The last time that PH won a byelection was in October last year at Port Dickson that returned PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to Parliament.

During one of the PH Rantau campaigning programmes Anwar told people not to look back at the by- election result at Cameron Highland and Semenyih but the result of PH victory in Port Dickson.