YOURSAY | ‘People want 60 years of pent-up expectations to be met in six months.’

Without split votes, Bersatu faces uphill task in Semenyih

Anonymous_1547638650792: For any party to win, they have to gain the trust of voters. Pakatan Harapan will need to focus on fulfilling promises and proving their track record in the nine months they have been in charge, while BN will focus on attacking Harapan its failure to do so.

Whoever can campaign effectively to the point of winning over some fence sitters, they will win the by-election, since Semenyih is a marginal constituency.

Anonymous #07988903: We are in a turbulent landscape. Instead of managing the needs of the country, Bersatu, due to its insecurity, is stepping on everyone’s toes by playing politics.

Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad's twisting and turning about his promises have shown that he cannot be trusted.

His disregard for other component parties’ views regarding the acceptance of Umno MPs and entry into Sabah is a telling sign that he is untrustworthy.

Losing this election will make them more desperate to lean on PAS or former Umno lawmakers to strengthen their base. I think we are staring at the collapse of the Harapan government.

We don't know what the doctor is cooking. Certainly at 93, he still has not learned that the only legacy worth leaving behind is our integrity.

The loss of a single seat countered by seven seats gained through seven ex-Umno frogs is not going to affect Harapan, with four years plus to go until the next general election.

Yes, it is understandable that people want 60 years of pent-up expectations to be met in six months. Let’s see how it goes with PAS apparently ‘sitting out’ this by-election.

Coexist: @Anonymous #07988903, one seat doesn’t represent a collapse.

If voter sentiments haven’t changed since the 14th general election, the numbers are as follows. The late incumbent Bakhtiar Mohd Nor obtained 23,428 votes, while the combined BN, PAS and PSM votes total 22,723.

Harapan wins by 700 votes roughly. If PAS supporters do not vote for Umno, as agreed upon by their leaders, then Harapan will emerge victorious.

Concerned: @Coexist Voter, sentiments have changed. The biggest problem is rise in cost of living.

Everyone expected Harapan to perform magic, so after nine months, the truth has finally dawned upon them – there is no such thing as magic.

Those who don’t understand are fed up and might just vote BN, the third force PSM or skip the voting process entirely. So, your calculation is no longer valid.

Harapan needs to start walking the talk. All promises made in their manifesto must be seen as being worked on.

Anonymous_1543386425: I hope Bersatu loses. A loss for their candidate Muhammad Aiman Zainali would mean that Bersatu does not have the support of Malays, and that should stop Mahathir's scheming and dealings with ex-Umno frogs.

An Umno win would strengthen it, enabling it to act as a viable opposition

Quigonbond: Let Bersatu lose so that it stops its nonsense of pandering to Malay-Muslim extremists and start undertaking real reforms.

Instead of using the same old Malay-Muslim paradigm to devise policies, it should show a new way to help Malaysians on needs basis.

More importantly, it should replace its useless ministers. If there is a dearth of talent from Bersatu, then it's time to admit its limitations, and allow other parties to field their ministers to better do the job.

PAS supporters may be pissed at the party’s lies over Umno funding. But instead of votes going to Bersatu, I would encourage voters to give PSM a chance.

It is important for voters to show that just because Umno and PAS have been around for a long time, and Bersatu is in government, they do not need to be beholden to either one of them.

If you don't like what they are doing, you can make it clear through your votes. At the same time, PSM candidate Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul should go all out to express his policies. If he is able to articulate his policies well, then he should be given a chance.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Umno and PAS have very powerful and influential media tools at their disposal. The government-owned media institutions are still being run by pro-BN individuals.

It is a very steep uphill task this time around for Harapan. As long as they do not invest in a communications programme, they will lose out to the well-lubricated opposition battery of public relations experts.

MahuSeeLui: Malays are so conditioned by years of indoctrination that they will vote for Umno, no matter what. Corruption seems unimportant so long as it is a Malay party and they keep on getting goodies.

Non-Malays are their enemies because they are seen as a threat to race and religion, which most educated citizens know is hogwash. But that is what Malaysia has come to. Bersatu is not likely to win unless it also jumps on the same hogwash narrative.

BTN: The Malays supported Umno for 60 over years and where are they today? Still lagging behind and short of confidence to face the world that waits for no one. If this is what they want, then so be it.

Anonymous_1371465729: Malays have been hoodwinked by Umno-BN for 60 years, and if they can't see that, they only have themselves to blame when they find themselves falling further back in a fast increasingly competitive world, 20 years from now.

The Harapan government is just starting a new beginning for everyone and needs time to produce results. More patience must be given to Mahathir and his team.

Do not forget that all the government agencies were destroyed during Umno’s infamous reign and cleaning up is still in progress.

Roar For Truth: “Shafie Omar, 57, said local residents have waited for more than a decade for a mosque in the area.”

I hope the voter remembers the last decade was the neglect of the BN government and does not blame the nine-month-old Harapan government. Vote wisely for a better future with less corruption and nonsense.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.