At the renamed The Grand Beach Hotel, Port Dickson, yesterday Sunday 9th December, 2018, BERSATU N.S. had its 1st. post-GE convention. I attended on the late invitation of Jefri, the pro-tem divisional head of Seremban. About 500 attended. It was a youthful gathering, and I felt old, but not out of place.
The wily Rais Yatim, the present pro-tem head of BERSATU N.S., contrived this timely gathering. Mukhriz declared it open, and the PH MBNS also came, of course.
Timely, because it's been 7 months since the PH historic win at the GE14 polls. The UMNO-PAS led ICERD rally in KL yesterday is a reminder that 5 years are not too many years before GE 15 and another day of reckoning, and the barking dogs at PH's doors are not resting for one moment.
And the rakyats are watching.
No amount of cheering in the hall, and there was plenty enough, would save PH the next time around. The rakyat must stay convinced that PH is on the right track. The work is cut out for BERSATU. Their share in PH must be bolstered. Their support among the rakyat must therefore also be bolstered.
That the Dataran Merdeka rally on Saturday gathered less than the touted "million" ( the Police estimate was 55,000 of only young Malay men, women and children from as far as Johor and Kelantan; the reporters said it was double that ) and was dampened by rain isn't the point. The fact remains, people can be instigated to show public support for a cause, even if they are vague about its real intent, and unaware of the real situation. That interview Mukhriz related of the lady from Terengganu who said "of course I must come and support this anti-ICERD" and then couldn't explain what's ICERD, is revealing. UMNO-PAS have been in the business too long not to grab at a good chance to attack the new PH government, for whatever cause, true or false. The PH government had already announced its decision of not ratifying ICERD. So the rally was to get something already gotten. And Mukhriz also mentioned some slogans for "support Najib" and even "support Rosmah".
Rais, Mukhriz, and later Eddin spoke well enough. Combined, they touched on the reason why BERSATU was born, how it convinced the voters that UMNO had forsaken the Malays, exposed what Najib & co had done, and joined-up with the 3 parties and led the voters in droves to oust the 61-year old BN out of office.
The 8 speakers from the divisions, plus the clever unscheduled squeezing by Ruslan Kassim ( he's been doing it from UMNO, PKR and Perkasa days) combined also covered the topics of the Manifesto (Kuala Pilah), agricultural products (Jelebu), NEP (Port Dickson), Malay rights (Rembau), unity (Rasah), the Constitution (Tampin), BERSATU (Seremban), and education (Jempol). The Srikandi and Armada wings also spoke of empowering women, and the socio-economic problems facing the country. These are pertinent topics that require action, although more effective speakers should convey the messages.
Now after 7 months, the PH Manifesto is not measuring up to the GE boast. Cabinet members are performing below par. And PKR and BERSATU divisional affairs are facing the same party problems that plagued UMNO in the last 10 years.
I'd come prepared with my own notes, in case there was a chance to speak. I'd jotted down about BERSATU being a Malay / Bumiputra party that must take matters up where UMNO failed; about personal agenda replacing national agenda; about integrity and corruption; about abuse of power; about billion-dollar scandals; about courage and political will; about party elections, and about taking action here and now. But only 3 speakers spoke, simply because Rais declared 2 p.m. as closing time. I'll have other opportunities, I hope.
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