We must re-ignite hope among Malaysians to get out of the prevailing sense of hopelessness by stating the truth and not resort to UMNO/BN tactics of lies, fake news and false information

I told a news conference at Taman Mutiara Rini in Gelang Patah on Tuesday two things about the forthcoming general elections:

Firstly, that from the general election results in 2004, 2008 and 2013, UMNO/BN is likely to lose Johor Baru as the sole capital won by UMNO/BN candidates, losing two if not all the three parliamentary constituencies in the Johore capital, namely Tebrau, Pasir Gudang and Johor Baru; and

Secondly, that DAP is keen to contest in one of the three Johor Baru parliamentary constituencies, even the most difficult one of Johor Baru parliamentary constituency, but that the final decision will be made by the Pakatan Harapan leadership.

In the last two days, I had declined questions by the media to discuss critical responses to my statement as I do not want to involve in any public polemics on the matter.

However lies, fake news and false information whether from UMNO/BN or any other quarter cannot be left unchallenged.

There is prevailing hopelessness and despair in the land about the possibility of democratic change through the ballot box, which was why the MCA President and Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai starred in the double role in Pete Teo’s Merdeka video “Citizens”.

Unfortunately, although “Citizens” conveyed the prevailing sense of hopelessness and despair in the land about the possibility of political change through the democratic process, the most outstanding message of the Merdeka video is Liow’s inability to inspire hope and confidence in the future.

A typical response to the “Citizens” video posted on the social media is as follows:

“I am very disappointed and disheartened that you as the leader of MCA (and other top leaders in MCA) does not and still cannot understand the real problems we are facing.

“In 1995 election, MCA won 15/52 seats; in 1995, it was 30/192; in 2004, it was 31/219 but at the last election dropped dramatically to 7/222!!! Who does this figure tell us?

“In the video u keep on emphasise that we should not lose hope in Malaysia. WE DID NOT LOSE HOPE IN MALAYSIA, in fact WE LOST HOPE IN MCA.”

The past week had provided some solace and hope to UMNO/BNM leaders, propagandists and cybertroopers that the momentum of awakened new hope, confidence and expectation among Malaysians who want political change to save Malaysia from sliding down the trajectory of a failed and a rogue state, caused by the seismic development on July 14 when Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council announced the Pakatan Harapan structure, logo and leadership line-up could be broken by internal Pakatan Harapan differences and contradictions.

This has resulted in an intensification of UMNO/BN campaign of lies, fake news and false information about Pakatan Harapan and Pakatan Harapan leaders, in particular about DAP leaders being the puppet-masters pulling the leaders of other Pakatan Harapan leaders, like Mohamad Sabu, Rafizi Ramli, Nurul Izzah, Azmin Ali, Wan Azizah, Anwar Ibrahim, Muhyiddin Yassin and Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on the puppet strings, doing the DAP leaders’ every beck and call.

A question has been raised as to whether DAP should get a Chinese-majority seat by virtue of being a Chinese party?

The answer is a triple negative – “No” to DAP should get a Chinese-majority seat “by virtue of being a Chinese party”, “No” to DAP being a Chinese party; and “No” to any one of the three parliamentary in Johor Baru as Chinese-majority seats.

In the last general election, the racial breakdown of the three parliamentary constituencies are as follows:

None of these three Johor Baru parliamentary constituenhcies could be descrbied as “Chinese-majority” seats.

It is understandable if the allegation that the DAP is a Chinese party comes UMNO and BN, which have been spearheading a campaign of lies, fake news and false information against DAP and Pakatan Harapan leaders but it should not come from any Pakatan Harapan quarter.

However, in the present circumstances, I am prepared to overlook such lapses.

I had previously said that a 10% swing in the Malay vote and a 5% swing in the non-Malay vote against the Barisan Nasional and towards Pakatan Harapan is sufficient for Pakantan Harapan to win the Federal Governemnt with 113 parliament seats in Peninsular Malaysia and to retain control of the Penang and Selangor state governments as well as to win control of the Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Perak state governments.

If there is a 10% swing in the Malay vote and a 5% swing in the non-Malay vote against the Barisan Nasional in favour of Pakatan Harapan, Pakatan Harapan will win 36 out of 56 State Assembly seats in Johore, namely:

N01 Buloh Kasap
N02 Jementah
N03 Pemanis
N05 Tenang
N06 Bekok
N08 Jorak
N09 Gambir
N10 Tangkak
N11 Serom
N12 Bentayan
N13 Sungai Abong
N14 Bukit Naning
N15 Maharani
N16 Sungai Balang
N19 Yong Peng
N21 Parit Yaani
N23 Penggaram
N24 Senggarang
N26 Machap
N28 Mengibol
N29 Mahkota
N30 Paloh
N40 Tiram
N41 Puteri Wangsa
N42 Johor Jaya
N43 Permas
N45 Stulang
N46 Pengkalan Rinting
N47 Kempas
N48 Skudai
N49 Nusa Jaya
N50 Bukit Permai
N51 Bukit Batu
N52 Senai
N54 Pulai Sebatang
N55 Pekan Nenas

We must re-ignite hope, confidence and expectation among Malaysians about the possibility of political change in the next general election to get out of the prevailing sense of hopelessness by stating the truth and not resort to UMNO/BN tactics of lies, fake news and false information.