IN 2018, the general election was indeed chaotic and saw history made.

For the first time, the opposition front took over the government and defeated Barisan Nasional, which had ruled the country for 60 years until then.

Yet, unfortunately, the chaos didn’t stop. Eventually we witnessed nothing but problems after problems.

The various coalitions forming different governments just could not gel and get their act together.

Now that the general election is once again at our doorstep, it is time for Malaysians to put a stop to this madness that had benefited no one except that few politicians and political parties.

Their continuous bargaining and negotiating with each other must be buried for good.

We must give a clear mandate to one camp and not be thrown into another dilemma where they go around making pacts to feed their greed for power.

Reject corrupt parties and their candidates.

Do not be fooled by hollow manifestos with promises merely to hoodwink the gullible voter.

It is a shame that, while some parties have rejected forming alliances with their opponents, in the same breath they say that they are willing to form a partnership with anyone if the need arises post-election.

They are clearly taking the rakyat for fools in every sense of the word.

Can we then trust them with their fork tongues?

The three major coalitions – Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional – have many times shuffled their allegiances just to be in power, since 2018.

We have gained nothing but hardship.

Thus, voters must not be too enticed and gravitate to these same parties.

They may field fresh faces but forget not that the parties are the same.

With the anti-party hopping law in place these new and fresh candidates will have no choice but to kow-tow to whatever their leaders say, no matter how wrong it may be.

Eventually we will see that out of 222 parliamentarians, only a handful of warlords in their respective parties are running the country.

A tough call indeed this election, but choose wisely.

I cannot reiterate more, that giving a clear mandate to one coalition will be absolutely critical for the country to move forward.

Or else we will land up with a hung parliament and the events of the 2018 chaos will persist. – November 3, 2022.

* Narinder Pal Singh 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.