A ‘wake-up call’ for opposition bloc
A Parti Warisan Sabah leader has dismissed the contention that the party is causing a rift within Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the midst of the call made by its president, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, for a change of leadership in the opposition bloc.
KOTA KINABALU: A Parti Warisan Sabah leader has dismissed the contention that the party is causing a rift within Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the midst of the call made by its president, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, for a change of leadership in the opposition bloc.
The party's Wirawati chief, Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis said it is a wake-up call for the opposition bloc in Malaysia to strengthen itself by having a more credible leadership.
"As an opposition party that is affiliated to PH, Warisan is obliged to voice out its concern with the overall performance of the opposition bloc in the country.
"Politics is about perception and if the voters think that the top leadership of the opposition bloc lacks credibility, then obviously all of us will suffer.
"This is more so since we are currently struggling with Covid19 and the economic downturn," she said in a statement yesterday.
Munirah said the continuous non-realization of claims about “taking over the government on September 16, having enough numbers of MPs, strong formidable and convincing majority, purposeful tactic of allowing the budget to pass in second reading, attempting to defeat the budget in committee stage” and so on, as announced in numerous press conferences including audiences with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will definitely tarnish the credibility and reputation of the rest of the opposition parties.
“This will cause the voters to feel disillusioned.
"I take it that Datuk Seri Shafie is reminding our friends in PH that as the opposition, our strongest asset is 'reputation based on strong credibility' so we must strive to protect this because it is something that most PN leaders do not have."
She said the opposition chief in Malaysia should not only focus on taking over the government or becoming a prime minister but must strive to unite and create a new Malaysia.
"That leader must be ready to sacrifice time, money and energy by visiting all the states in Malaysia and engaging with the local communities in each constituency to understand their needs and aspiration.
"It is a dynamic world that we live in today and as leaders, we need to constantly impart knowledge, concept and ideals to the grassroots and this can only be achievable through direct engagement firstly with the party grassroots leaders and thereafter with the communities at large," she said.