Time for total change to bring about A Better Malaysia for All.

Speech by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat at PAS Ceramah held at Kampung Tasek, Ipoh on Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Time for total change to bring about A Better Malaysia for All.

When Dato Sri Najib became the nation’s new Prime Minister in April 2009, his approval ratings were only 44% .The latest survey conducted by Merdeka Centre between May 10 and May 18 showed that his ratings are now at 65%. 

This is quite a big increase in ratings but despite the fact that Najib had said at the recent Umno’s 66rth anniversary celebration that he felt like seeing the Agong the next day to advice dissolution of parliament, it is clear that he is still unsure today when is the right timing to do so. 

Why? 

This is because he still lacks confidence about BN’s electoral performance. And he certainly has good reasons to feel uncertain, in fact even worried about BN‘s chances in the next coming general election.

Basically, he is unsure whether the ratings will be translated into votes.

I am very sure that he still remembers that the approval ratings for his predecessor Tun Abdullah Badawi were about 60 per cent in January 2008, just two months before the BN’s dismal showing at the 2008 general election.

In May 2010, just ahead of the Sibu parliamentary by election, Najib’s ratings reached a record high of 72%. But DAP candidate Sdr Richard Wong won the traditional BN’s stronghold.

What worries the BN’s strategists is also the fact that despite the government having announced a slew of goodies like the BR1M RM 500 cash handouts, RM 200 book vouchers etc, the PM’s ratings have not been able to rise back to his previous high record of 72%. 

In fact, his recent ratings of 65% show a decline in ratings as they were 69% in February.

If not for the demonization campaign against the Bersih 3.0 rally in the government controlled electronic and printed media, his ratings among the Malays would have taken a dip too. 

Undoubtedly, Najib will continue to have more sleepless nights thinking as to when will be the right timing for the dissolution of parliament. 

A recent media report said that former Prime Minster Tun Mahathir Mohammad had a few days ago told some Umno divisional chiefs in Johore that BN is still weak today due to Tun Abdullah Badawi. 

I wonder whether Mahathir did tell the Umno chiefs the real and main reason why BN suffered its worst electoral defeat ever in the 2008 general election. 

Tun Abdullah Badawi ‘s approval ratings achieved  a record high of 91 % when he took power in 2003 but he led BN to its worst ever electoral debacle in the 2008 general election simply because he failed to carry out the political reforms he promised and which the people expected from him. 

For the last 3 years, Najib has said much about reforms but time has proven that he too is unable to walk his talk. 

So this is what Mahathir should be telling the Umno chiefs—that BN continues to be weak because Najib is also a leader who is “cakap tidak serupa bikin” on economic, legislative and political reforms.

Of course, Mahathir will never tell Najib to implement reforms because he himself did carry out reforms during his long reign as Prime Minister.

Najib himself should realise that further delay in the polls or more announcement of cash handouts will not ensure more voter’s support for BN.

Malaysians have waited for decades for change and come the next general election, they will go for total change to bring about A Better Malaysia for ALL.