WHILE Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) are working hard to align their election machinery and strategy, Perikatan Nasional (PN) appears to be adopting BN’s old strategy for its election narrative, albeit with an enhanced flavour of nationalism.

PN is fighting the elections as an allied group of tactical teams instead of a single unit, splitting the national agenda into local issues to form a potent, custom blend for each state it is attempting to defend or win.

In Kedah, it is playing the role of misunderstood but defiant and strong leadership. Taking a leaf out of the Kelantan playbook, it portrays itself as the champion of Kedah folk, painting the picture that everyone is out to get them and jealous of their menteri mesar. It is igniting rivalry between Kedah and its richer neighbour Penang, much like the Malaysia-Singapore story in Johor politics two decades ago.

For Penang, it paints itself as the champion of Islam and Malays, taking extreme positions and playing up half-truths and disproven “facts” about neglect of both race and religion by the state government. 

PN is also touting a Malay-Muslim chief minister for Penang. If that is fulfilled, it will leave zero states helmed by a non-Malay.

Also in Penang, in the hope that it will win the unpopular Gerakan a few seats, the coalition will contest as PN, unlike in Kedah where it is standing under the PAS logo.

In Selangor and Negri Sembilan, states that are more ethnically mixed, it claims that it will be able to do more but offers little proof of its ability to govern.

The arguments in these two states are centred on the hypocrisy of PH and BN working together and accusations of kleptocracy. It points out that PH now colluding with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, whom it once labelled corrupt.

In Kelantan and Terengganu, states with a rural Malay majority, like Kedah, it plays up state pride but with a strong Muslim flavour.  Here, the enemy isn’t Penang but liberalism, gambling, and alcohol, which it claims PH and BN will allow.

In its national narrative, the aim is to portray itself as a strong, Malay-based party, but one that is fair and more viable than the present one.

Everywhere, we see the “us versus them” approach, despite countless calls for national reconciliation.

PN is also contradicting itself in several issues.

For example, its Kedah campaign runs against its Penang one. If Penang belongs to Kedah in one narrative, why does Penang need better leadership in the other?

Gerakan wants to endorse UEC and is for liberal rights. How do you reconcile the party’s leftist liberalism with the now far-right conservative position of Bersatu and PAS?

If liberalism is the ultimate evil, why was it not stamped out during its reign?

PN could have banned alcohol, changed the airline and nurse uniforms, and closed down the lotteries.

Yet in Pahang, where it shared power with BN, the only casino still stands. Pulau Langkawi still has the cheapest alcohol, and there are cinemas in Terengganu and Kedah but not in Kelantan. All three states governed by the same party.

These are questions Malaysians should be asking instead of falling for their bombastic yet hollow nationalism.

If you unwrap the technicalities, it boils down to who should govern and who is able to lead us forward without imploding. – July 12 , 2023.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.