NO clear direction and a lack of allocation at the division and branch levels are among the issues faced by Pakatan Harapan in Kelantan, which is making it difficult for the coalition to win support among the locals, said grassroots leaders.

These problems have weakened grassroots sentiments and made it difficult for them to assist the people, they told The Malaysian Insight.

A lack of provisions is the most critical issue facing them, resulting in insufficient assistance and programmes, one local leader said.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the grassroots leaders said the situation makes it difficult for PH to match the performance of the previous governments which were more active organising various programmes which drew the support of Kelantan folk towards PAS.

“The people see PH as weak because of the kind of welfare programmes that Umno held over the years,” said one grassroots leader.

“People are used to it. When they ask PH leaders (for help), they say they can’t do it. Despite winning the 14th general election, Pakatan still can’t seem to help us here in our state.”

He said they had to find their own funds for programmes run at the regional or branch level.

Worse, he said he’s now in debt.

“I still owe RM40,000 to shopkeepers for the back-to-school programme last year. If we don’t help out, then members will start chiding us.”

The problems could be solved if PH set up a shadow government in Kelantan as BN did before.

During the BN era, party leaders could act as representatives of the federal government where programmes and projects were channelled by the Kelantan Federal Development Department.

It’s different from what Kelantan PH is facing today, he said.

“PAS does not treat Kelantan PH like the federal government. And the recent allocation of RM400 million from the federal government is of no benefit to us as it goes directly to the state government.

“When the people come to us to fix their houses, schools, we can’t afford it. PH won (GE14) but still lost (here), we are the same as we used to be and now, we are expected to draw the people back from PAS or Umno.”

In GE14, the coalition lost in all 14 parliamentary and 45 state assembly seats it contested in Kelantan. Most PH candidates failed to garner more than 1,000 votes.

Another PH grassroots leader in Kelantan also acknowledged the problem of lack of funding but said the situation is not rampant all over the state.

“Some parts are okay, some even don’t know who are their leaders. That is why the people say Kelantan PH is not working. And this is why we could not carry out BN-like programmes.”

Another division leader said PH Kelantan lacks direction and this is causing communication problems at the grassroots level.

“The problem is, PH has a military, a rifle but no ammunition.

“And when there is no command and nothing to do, our soldiers fight against each other.” – January 24, 2020.