IF predictions turn out to be correct with an expected BN victory in the Johor elections on 12 March, analysts and politicians will start the guessing game on the date for the next General Election (GE).

A win will embolden BN to push for an early GE which is what it wants, to rule the country with their own mandate instead of being constantly stuck with the label of backdoor government.

Thus far, Pakistan Harapan (PH) has combined foot-dragging, half heartedness and ineptitude in moving its coalition forward after being dislodged unceremoniously in Feb 2020. Sadly, this is typical of PH.

In 2018, PH had the excuse that they had never been the government before and therefore proposing and deliberating on new policies required greater understanding of the machinations of the civil service.

If PH really believes and is confident that they can secure a simple majority of seats in the general election, they should undertake preparations for what they will do if they get into power, so that they can get going immediately the morning after the results are known and begin announcing policy changes from day one. 

it is imperative PH have their manifesto prepared and announced within the next one or two months on how they plan to develop draft legislation for these policies, as these policies require extensive work by the civil service in order to be introduced.

The rakyat who plan to support PH need to know and have a clear idea of PH’s legislative plans. 

PH should reveal their plans for existing government departments or the creation of new departments and when they want to make these changes. This will help the rakyat improve their understanding of how the government operates and make it easier for them to decide on which MP to vote for.

This means identifying and naming the candidates upfront for all the seats that each of the parties in the coalition will be contesting instead of always leaving the haggling to the last few weeks before the dissolution of the respective federal and state legislature. The rakyat is fed up with the constant bickering and manoeuvring in the last minute announcements of candidates that precede every election be it for by- elections, state or federal seats in the PH coalition. 

Potential candidates who believe that they ought be selected but sidelined will raise a ruckus publicly with some even going against the party’s nominated candidate by contesting as an independent. 

The rakyat does not need this type of clownish and selfish behaviour from both the candidates and the leadership of parties in the PH coalition when the overarching goal of every individual in the coalition should be securing the mandate to govern the country for the rakyat.

It will be preferable if PH can break with tradition by naming which candidate will be nominated as potential ministers in the event PH comes to power and for these potential candidates to reveal publicly what changes they want to make to the ministries they will be helming. 

In the UK and some European countries, those helming shadow ministries in the opposition, make their views known and voters know their stand if they are voted in to helm the government. This minimises the risk of candidates who are appointed to helm a Ministry making unintelligible comments and views on issues which their ministries oversee.

Candidates named as potential ministers who have no prior experience of government can then embark on a steep learning curve and improve their understanding of how the government operates and what a ministerial rolenentails. 

The rakyat is well aware of the coalition’s performance during the 22 months they were in power that left much to be desired. This time round, PH should undertake a more thorough and extensive preparations, to make sure that its policies are ready and can be implemented immediately.

Member parties in the coalition should agree to a united platform with possible talking points for possible coalition negotiations so that they can put themselves in a strong position when talks are held as this is a likely scenario in the next general election given the fractured politics that we are witnessing in this country presently.

The country is presently faced with the dilemma of old leaders who refuse to fade away and the silence of the younger generation. This may be partially explained by the absence of a coordinated, non partisan youth movement aside from Muda. 

PH should take this as an opportunity to actively engage and coordinate with youth organisations across the country and commit to these organisations a realistic timeline where the present group of leaders will slowly make way for the youths to get a chance to come up from the ranks to build a better Malaysia.
 
The coming general election will be crucial in determining the future of the country and PH as a viable government in waiting. – March 11, 2022.

*FLK reads the Malaysian Insight
 

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.