logo
PAS needs universal slogan to attract MIC-like ally, says Puad

PAS needs universal slogan to attract MIC-like ally, says Puad

Malaysiakini28-04-2025
Perikatan Nasional's struggle to attract influential coalition partners presents a significant challenge, especially with PAS unable to replicate the 'Green Wave' momentum from the previous general election, according to Umno supreme council member Puad Zarkashi.
Reflecting on the results of the Ayer Kuning by-election in Perak, Puad emphasised that PAS should reconsider its focus on the narrative of an Islamic state.
He pointed out that this issue is hindering PN's efforts to secure meaningful non-Malay party alliances.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ex-MCA veep was comparing Akmal Saleh with PAS counterparts, not party
Ex-MCA veep was comparing Akmal Saleh with PAS counterparts, not party

Free Malaysia Today

time2 hours ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Ex-MCA veep was comparing Akmal Saleh with PAS counterparts, not party

From Lee Chai Wah I refer to the letter by Terence Netto, titled 'Much to prefer in Puad-Ti clash than Akmal-DAP Youth slanging match' published on Aug 20. Netto wrote that former MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker wants the party to leave Barisan Nasional, and 'holds PAS these days to be more rational than Umno'. However, a report published by another news portal on Aug 17 contradicts Netto's assertion. In the said report, Ti explicitly stated that his remarks, which were first reported by Malaysiakini, were not aimed at whitewashing PAS. Nor was it about pushing for MCA's exit from BN, but keeping the coalition intact amid concerns over the growing Umno-DAP alliance. Again, based on the Malaysiakini report, Ti never said that PAS these days was more rational than Umno. Ti was quoted as saying: 'In a way, (Umno Youth chief Dr) Akmal (Saleh)'s actions, in this respect, are worse than his contemporaries in PAS'. Ti was therefore comparing the current crop of youth leaders in the two parties and not the party itself. Based on the context – the reaction to the blunder involving the Jalur Gemilang – Ti was merely referring to and comparing the response to the controversy and nothing more. It was an observation and in no way an endorsement of PAS and its policies, past or present. Jumping to conclusions and making wayward assumptions is incorrect, especially when it was explained and expressed otherwise. It must also be pointed out that Netto's comments were also based on remarks by Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi, which have no reference to Ti's statements. Puad had reminded Ti of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's 1981 sermon on kafirs (infidels), when arguing against the claim that the Islamic party was more rational than Umno. But Puad's argument is off track, as it did not take into account the specific issue mentioned, which is the comparison of Akmal and his contemporaries in PAS. Instead, Puad defended Akmal's posturing as patriotism and chose not to address the comparison made by Ti in regards to how Umno Youth and PAS Youth reacted to the matter. The point was about tone and decorum, not ideology, and certainly not an endorsement of PAS. Ti's remarks must be seen in that context, and not twisted into something irrelevant. Lee Chai Wah is the general secretary of Kuantan MCA. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.

Study: Many Malay youths distrust government, opposition alike
Study: Many Malay youths distrust government, opposition alike

Malaysiakini

time4 hours ago

  • Malaysiakini

Study: Many Malay youths distrust government, opposition alike

For most Malay youths, Malaysia's democracy today is nothing more than a power game among political elites, far removed from the realities of people's lives. This was among the key findings of the Iman Research report titled 'Orang Kita: Politics of Recognition and Disappointment', which revealed how frustration and cynicism towards politics have deepened since the 15th general election. Respondents interviewed claimed that both the government and the opposition...

End of the road for MCA in Sabah?
End of the road for MCA in Sabah?

Focus Malaysia

time6 hours ago

  • Focus Malaysia

End of the road for MCA in Sabah?

DATUK Seri Ahmad Maslan's casual admission that 'urban seats belong to Pakatan Harapan (PH) while Barisan Nasional (BN) will focus on the rural areas' is more than just a campaign strategy. It is a blunt signal that for UMNO's survival, MCA has been reduced to a tradable chip—expendable, sacrificial, and no longer essential. The writing is not just on the wall; it is now shouted aloud: MCA is irrelevant, relegated to a mere passenger clinging to UMNO's wing. One more nail into MCA's coffin? How much louder must the alarm sound? Yet, MCA leaders appear trapped in paralysis. Instead of seizing direction, they wait for central delegates to decide—but only after the annual general meeting (AGM) at year's end. Who is actually leading the party—the central leadership elected to act, or delegates who seem to hold the steering wheel by default? When the ship is going through turbulence, does the captain navigate or wait to consult the sailors first? It has become a chicken-and-egg circus, a party with no head and no tail. This moment delivers a body blow to MCA's very reason for existence. Its traditional battlefield—the urban constituencies once its lifeline—has been written off and handed wholesale to DAP and PKR. The rural front, meanwhile, is firmly dominated by UMNO and its Bumiputera allies. MCA is left without a battlefield, a bridge without a river, a passenger abandoned at a bus stop long after the bus has departed. Nowhere is this humiliation clearer than in Sabah. BN claims the kampungs, PH secures the towns, and MCA is left with nothing—no roots in the villages, no traction in the cities. The 'end of the road for MCA in Sabah' could well be the first domino of its nationwide obituary. Or in harsher terms: Beginning in Sabah … one down for MCA. For decades, MCA justified its existence in BN as the bridge to urban and Chinese voters. That bridge has now collapsed. Unless MCA reinvents itself, it risks being reduced to what many already see it as—a party of posts and satisfied with crumbs, living off appointments instead of seeking mandates. Ahmad may not have intended it, but he has quietly issued MCA a death certificate. His words may one day be remembered as MCA's quiet political obituary—the final proof that the party has run out of road, and perhaps, out of time. Even UMNO leaders appear to mock MCA's diminished role. One Supreme Council member highlighted MCA's supposed 'contributions' and is still being included citing the appointment of Nicole Wong as a special officer to the DPM, and another appointed Adun in Pahang. From a party that once claimed to be the voice of millions, MCA is now reduced to pointing at token appointments as evidence of relevance. So, where does MCA go from here? The options are brutal: Remain in BN, even as UMNO openly declares winnable seats like Tanjung Piai are no longer theirs; Attempt to reinvent MCA or by seeking new friends outside BN, an uphill battle for the party; or Or accept its fate as a party of crumbs—senatorships, special officer posts, and political charity doled out by UMNO. BN may now be morphing into UMDAP, but MCA's dilemma is simpler: Does it walk away with dignity, or fade away? ‒ Aug 20, 2025 Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker is a former MCA vice-president and a former deputy youth and sports minister. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: Bernama

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store