IT is not surprising that Pakatan Harapan’s ratings should tumble on account of failed promises, an inexperienced cabinet, about-turns and poor communication, political analysts said. 

A recent poll by Merdeka Centre showed Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s popularity rating drop to 46% from 71% in August. 

Only 39% of Malaysians surveyed gave the PH coalition positive ratings, just weeks short of its first anniversary in power.

The decline in ratings is attributable to factors such as its performance, the state of the economy, and concerns over Malay rights and privileges and fair treatment of the other races in Malaysia, said political analysts.

PH’s failure to deliver some key manifesto promises, especially those affecting bread-and-butter issues, is particularly galling to voters.

Associate professor Jeniri Amir of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and James Chin of University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute agreed that the survey findings were not unexpected.

Jeniri said the promise that the introduction of the sales and services tax will reduce the cost of living rang hollow, as there have been no significant changes in the prices of goods from the time the goods and services tax was in force. 

This, he said, was one example of PH’s failed promises.

“I don’t think they are showing that we are moving towards a real New Malaysia by having real transformation in terms of transparency and good governance,” Jeniri told The Malaysian Insight.

He conceded, however, that PH is bogged down by the issues and problems that are the legacy of the previous government.

Chin, while acknowledging PH’s failure to deliver, said all is not lost for the first-time government. 

“The reality is that PH has not really delivered on its key promises other than the Najib trial. The good news is that PH has four years more to deliver before the next GE,” he said, referring to the current trial of former prime minister Najib Razak.

PH’s failure to deliver is not from the lack of trying, Chin said. Rather, the government is hampered by poor communication skills and lack of experience.

He added that the civil service is also an obstacle of sorts to the ruling government.

“Most senior civil servants think PH will have at most one term in power and Umno will come back. Others sabotage PH because of loyalty to Umno.”

Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng said the government has failed to bring about the change expected by its core supporters. 

“There is a lack of coherent direction within the coalition. They are acting like a bunch of mercenaries. There is no consensus within the government.

“It’s more of a lack of political awareness and will, rather than communication problems. They have backtracked on many reforms,” he said.

Jeniri echoed Khoo in saying that the cabinet appears directionless as most of the members do not have experience in running a ministry. 

It has also not helped matters that the ministers have several times put their foot in the mouth by making controversial statements that they later have to disown, or by contradicting one another in public.

For example, Economics Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng caused confusion with their conflicting statements on the East Coast Rail Link project a few months ago.

Azmin had said that the project was axed, but Lim said that Azmin was not privy to the matter. Lim said Azmin had been absent from a cabinet meeting when the project was discussed, but later made an about-turn about his colleague’s absence.

Jeniri said cabinet ministers cannot be working in silos – making contradicting statements is not a sign of teamwork.

The state of the economy and the government’s policies are also key points of concern to the people, he added.

“What we’ve been seeing are a lot of U-turns. After a few months or weeks, they change their position.”

Examples of this are the withdrawal from the Rome Statute and the going back on a pledge to postpone PTPTN repayments for borrowers earning below RM4,000.

On the party front, he said Bersatu’s admission of former Umno members did not reflect well on the party after it has heaped harsh criticisms on the former ruling party.

Harping on the past government’s wrongdoings is not a good strategy either as people grow tired of the blame throwing.

He said people are more interested in knowing the way forward than in looking back at the sorry past.

“(What is) worst is that they keep on blaming the previous government almost after one year (of being in power).”

“Ministers should be more mindful of their statements and stop blaming the previous BN government and Najib. I mean, people are aware of what happened in the past.”

The focus should instead be on introducing effective policies and moving the nation forward.

He also took the government to task for lacking new ideas and making cosmetic changes to programmes initiated by its predecessor.

Examples of this are Permata, which has been rebranded as Genius, and IM4U as Impact. 

He said some cabinet members also failed to communicate the work they have done in their ministries.

Rural Development Minister Rina Harun is one such minister who has yet to make a mark despite holding heavy and important portfolios, said Jeniri.

“I seldom see her statements in the media.”

Effective communication and formulation of political narratives is vital, he stressed, for this shapes public opinion. – April 27, 2019.