Come the general election, Malaysians must go for total change and elect a Pakatan Rakyat federal government that will bring about A Better Malaysia for ALL.

Speech by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat at DAP ceramah held in Skudai, Johor  on Sunday, June 03, 2012

Come the general election, Malaysians must go for total change and elect a Pakatan Rakyat federal government that will bring about A Better Malaysia for ALL.

A new Prime Minister will normally call for dissolution of parliament within 6 months upon assuming office so as to seek a mandate of his own from the people.

Dato Sri Najib has become the nation’s new Prime Minister for more than 3 years, yet he still has not done so  though he has recently at  the Umno’s 66 th Anniversary’s celebration held at Bukit National Sports Complex said that he felt like seeing Agong the next day to advice dissolution of parliament.

The reason is simple—Najib is just not confident of BN’s electoral performance in the next general election.

His statement at the Complex was just a syok sendiri statement.

Nevertheless, speculation over the last two months has been that he will dissolve the Parliament in June or September.

With two recent reports in the media, I believe that the likely choice for Najib will be September.

The first report is about the decline in Najib’s support after the Bersih 3.0 sit in protest. 

An opinion survey conducted by Merdeka Centre between May 10 and May 18 to gauge sentiment after the protest showed that Najib’s approval ratings have taken a dip. 

This is not surprising at all as not only many Malaysians were shocked at the excessive use of police force against the rally participants, Malaysia public also disapproved the highhanded and insensitive government’s responses.

There is also no doubt that the incessant harassment against Bersih leader Datuk S Ambiga has also contributed to Najib’s drop in popularity due to his failure to condemn such harassment which is a violation of her privacy, human and citizenship rights. 

The second media report is about what the former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohammad had told several Johor Umno division chiefs 3 days ago. 

It was reported that he told the Umno chiefs that they have to work very hard because the government is still very weak due to Pak Lah’s time as PM. 

I don’t wish to comment on Mahathir’s blame on Pak Lah for BN’s present weakness, but I believe two things. 

Firstly, the BN government is still weak today and it is so because Najib has not been walking his talk on reforms. 

If he is a true reformist, there is no reason for him to fear implementing the Bersih demands and fight the Opposition fair and square.

Secondly, Mahathir’s opinion still carries weight and Najib will have to consider his opinion before calling for dissolution of parliament. 

Hence, although BN election operation centres have been opened all over the country, election materials 

have been stocked up in warehouses, September will be a likely date than June for dissolution of September.

For the Pakatan Rakyat, we are ready to fight the BN in the nation’s most important election. 

Najib became the nation’s Prime Minister in 2009 and pledged that BN and the government will reform.

But time has proven that he is no true reformist and his government cannot walk the talk on reforms.

Come the general election, Malaysians must go for total change and elect a Pakatan Rakyat federal government that will bring about A Better Malaysia for ALL.