“I hope that observers of Malaysian politics discontinue the use of the ‘Green Wave’ narrative, given its inaccuracies and dangers. It is a lazy shorthand that inadequately captures the growing electoral complexities in Malaysia. This would be prudent regardless of the upcoming state elections’ outcomes, including any potential result favouring PN.”

- Ong Kian Ming

COMMENT | Former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming attempts to minimise the rising tide of religious extremism in this country in his latest piece dismissing the “Green Wave” narrative as lazy shorthand.

Like most political operatives or former operatives as is the case, Ong ignores the on-the-ground reality for political rhetoric that sounds moderate but in reality, is appeasement.

In Ong’s piece, there are two talking points which are deflections that need to be debunked.

The first is this (Khairy Jamaluddin made a similar point) where Ong writes: “Third, it diverts attention from the main reason for the increase in votes for PN: a disastrous collapse in support for Umno in all states in Peninsular Malaysia, except for Negeri Sembilan and Johor. It was this unhappiness with Umno and specifically, the leadership of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, that enabled PN to benefit from the groundswell of dissatisfaction.”

What most politically correct observers do not want to publicly acknowledge is that if the dominant polity who voted for Perikatan Nasional (PN) really wanted an alternative, they would have chosen PKR and Pakatan Harapan.

After all, Harapan-controlled states were run more efficiently than BN states and Harapan-controlled states were drawing local economic migrants from less developed states.

Instead, what they chose was...