By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 2: Political analyst Dato Peter Minos believes Pakatan Harapan (PH) must confront growing voter dissatisfaction following what he described as a “political massacre” in the Negeri Sembilan election, arguing that public frustration over rising living costs, unfulfilled promises and prolonged political disputes contributed to the coalition’s heavy defeat.
In a recent statement, he questioned why the ruling coalition managed to win only 11 of the 36 seats contested, a result that also saw PH Negeri Sembilan chairman Aminuddin Harun and DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke lose their seats.
“The people were tired and fed up with PH. They were unhappy over many things, including broken promises, the high and rising cost of living that has hurt ordinary people, reforms that were promised but never materialised, and the endless politics of revenge and vengeance.
“Many voters simply could not stomach it anymore, and that is why they voted against PH,” he said.
PH’s heavy losses in Saturday’s state election saw the coalition reduced to just 11 seats in the 36-member Negeri Sembilan Legislative Assembly, while BN and PN secured a combined 25 seats for a two-thirds majority.
Besides economic concerns, Minos argued that some voters were also unhappy with what he described as PH’s excessive involvement in state matters, as well as remarks by certain DAP leaders that he believed had offended Malay sentiments. In his view, Aminuddin and Loke ultimately became “collateral damage” as voters turned against the coalition.
He added that attention will now shift to DAP’s party election on Aug 16, where delegates are expected to decide whether the party’s ministers and deputy ministers should remain in the Federal Cabinet.
Minos opined that if DAP continued supporting the unity government, the administration could remain in office until the end of its term. However, he speculated that a withdrawal from the Cabinet could place the PH-led government under significant pressure.
Looking further ahead, he predicted Barisan Nasional (BN) would comfortably retain Melaka should the state hold its next election.
For Sarawak, however, Minos urged leaders and the public to remain focused on the State’s own priorities instead of becoming entangled in Peninsular Malaysia’s political developments. Rather, he said, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) should continue strengthening its unity while prioritising economic growth under Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s leadership, arguing that a politically united and economically stronger Sarawak would be better placed to negotiate with the Federal government.
As for the possibility of an early general election, Minos said it remained difficult to predict whether Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would seek a fresh mandate before 2028.
According to him, an earlier election could be considered if the government believed delaying the polls would further weaken its political position, while waiting until 2028 could allow more time to deliver reforms, strengthen the economy and stabilise the political landscape.
For now, Minos believes PH faces the difficult task of recovering from its recent electoral setbacks and rebuilding public confidence.
“They have to think very carefully, tread carefully and hope for the best,” he said. — DayakDaily
