reduced and recycled

Well, yeah, so BN’s resorted to tried and true strategies - defections. At least, one can infer such a move on BN’s part from the report on Malaysiakini. A short reproduction:-

“Yes, they have approached us, I don’t deny that. Once we’re ready (with details), you will be the first to know,’ he said without revealing more information during a press conference at his office in Petaling Jaya today.

“There is no question of anybody crossing over. They were all with me last night. That question does not arise at all. We have control in five states and 50 percent of the support in the peninsula, so it doesn’t make sense to ever suggest that we would join Umno.

“We will not (make an) offer (to) anyone to join us (either) with millions of ringgit or with expectations, let me make that very clear. We are not Umno or Barisan (Nasional). (But) we have evidence that our members and state assemblypersons are being offered (a crossover).⁽¹⁾”

The last paragraph is most telling - and I think DSAI’s inviting crossovers, too. Which is a good strategy, but how much effort is being expended to push this idea I don’t know. I sympathize with BR winners forming state governments - they’ve got 50 years of dross, mismanagement and dirty little secrets to wrestle with, not including the fulfillment of promises to the electorate. Which issue to focus on first? I guess getting one’s house in order is the most important - and I think any homemaker, mum or dad, will agree.

What I’m afraid of is the lack of patience on the part of those who’ve voted. I’ve even felt that way but the truth of the matter is, the next elections is 5 years away, and when you put things in that perspective - and throw in the government’s massive advantage both by controlling the media, and knowing all the dirty little secrets hidden away in now-lost states - everything looks more and more insurmountable from where I’m standing. I’m such a defeatist, I know.

It’s just that dire warnings from people saying “we can vote you in, we can vote you out” is all well and good from the perspective of a brow-beaten rakyat and such, but I’d like to suggest that we cut Barisan Rakyat a little slack. The first, real benchmark will be the first 100 days of BR’s administration of their respective states. Only then will we know, I suppose, if we’ve made the right decision. No pressure, eh?

What I’d like to know, though, is just what DSAI and gang are planning on the media side of things - they’ve got to counter malicious, negative press or they’re going to let UMNO and BN prosecute their war on so many fronts: the economy, the media, and the huge, huge lure of big money.

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