PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan’s defeat in the Semenyih by-election is a reflection of the public’s disappointment in the ruling government, says MCA Youth.
“Compared with Barisan Nasional’s defeat at the 14th General Election, the rebound by Barisan shows a majority exceeding 1,900 ballots - a strong reflection of the rakyat’s disappointment in Pakatan," said its Youth chief, Nicole Wong Siaw Ting.
“Pakatan announced plenty of good news on the eve prior to polling day, but it still could not reverse the situation.
"This proves that the rakyat no longer believes in Pakatan, but displayed maturity and rationality in their thoughts and analysis,” she said in a statement on Monday (March 4).
Wong said the frequent U-turns made by Pakatan had also resulted in the “lost of confidence in the leadership of Pakatan”.
She added that the results of the Semenyih polls in which Barisan candidate, Zakaria Hanafi had won, was not just a victory for the coalition, but also for the people.
Zakaria’s victory comes a month after Barisan clinched the Cameron Highlands by-election.
Zakaria secured 19,780 votes against Pakatan's Muhammad Aiman Zainali, who obtained 17,866 votes, with a majority of 1,914 votes.
Parti Sosialis Malaysia Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul got 847 votes, while independent candidate Kuan Chee Heng took 725 votes.
Wong said following the two consecutive by-election losses by Pakatan, the government at the federal and state levels must conduct a “self-review and make good use of time to deliver betterment to the public”.
She said the government should begin with the economy by reducing the economic burdens of the people, adding that it was also necessary to maintain good diplomatic relations with other countries.
“The ultimate goal of politics is not about playing politics, but to bring a brighter future for the rakyat.
"Therefore, I hope that Pakatan will listen to the voice of the masses and refrain from feeling proud,” she said.
Wong also called out those who had made racist remarks prior to the election, adding that such slurs pose a challenge to inter-ethnic ties, which were unhealthy for the future development of the country.
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