Opposition parties should learn to accept defeat

V.K. Chin The Star Asia News Network Selangor, Malaysia

The opposition must be dreaming if it feels it can overturn the results of the 2004 general election, which was won by a landslide by the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Two of the biggest losers in the election, PAS and Keadilan, are conducting road shows throughout the country in the hope that the 11th election on March 21 will be declared null and void.

The sad truth is that these opposition groups are still in denial and could not accept the fact that the people had rejected them. It is time for them to face reality and take the loss on the chin.

They should accept the situation in the right spirit and not display their immaturity as such behavior will do their reputation and image little good. If they should blame the Election Commission for their own debacle, then they might be barking up the wrong tree.

There might have been some hiccups in the implementation process by some election officials but this was due to the non- compliance of the procedures rather than the fault of the commission itself. In any case, the incidents occurred in isolated areas and not a national trend. The commission has proposed the setting up of an independent panel to conduct an in-depth study of the process to determine the causes of some of the mix-ups.

What the opposition parties could not accept was the defeats suffered by their candidates in both the parliamentary and state constituencies.

If there should be serious electoral irregularities, then the Barisan would have a complete sweep. While PAS had lost control of Terengganu, it had managed to retain control of the Kelantan state government though by the narrowest of margin.

The opposition, especially PAS, should accept defeat with good grace like the Barisan did in the 1999 general election. The Barisan did not cry foul just because it was decisively thrown out of Terengganu.

Instead of looking for a scapegoat for its loss, the coalition accepted the wish of the people and continued to work hard to regain the confidence and support of the voters in the state and elsewhere.

This pragmatic approach had paid handsome dividends as the Barisan was able to return the favor to PAS by taking back Terengganu and routing PAS candidates in other states.

It is better for PAS to realize that the people had enough of its brand of politics and were prepared to support only the political party which could bring them economic development and a better way of life.

Instead of sulking, the opposition parties should take a leaf from the Barisan and continue to work hard to regain the people's support. Going on road shows is therefore a waste of time and energy, which could be better spent doing something positive and constructive for the good of the people.