KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — A PKR leader today claimed nepotism and cronyism within the government and unfulfilled promises were the reasons why Pakatan Harapan (PH) failed to win the Rantau seat.
In a statement today, Seputeh division PKR leader P. Ganapathy said that PH has to come to terms with the loss and find a unifying point among its components to continue progressing, after losing a third by-election this year in Rantau, after Cameron Highlands and Semenyih.
“It must be admitted that PH’s failure to fulfil election promises, addressing economy and living cost issues, infighting among component parties and cronyism, nepotism of a Cabinet minister with problematic family politics became the factor for people’s rejection,” he wrote.
It is unclear as to who exactly Ganapathy is referring to.
“I believe that the people who earn low income have to be helped, and not pressed on because PH has promised to share the nation’s wealth fairly.
“The failure of the PH government to fulfil the 14th general election promises have made the people disappointed. PH has given and made too many sweet promises which in the end, backfired,” Ganapathy added.
In Saturday’s by-election, Umno acting president and incumbent won all the multi-racial districts bar one in Rantau, a testament to the politician’s popularity in Rantau, a semi-urban state constituency with predominantly low-income voters.
Barisan Nasional (BN) swept 13 of the polling districts including Pekan Sagga (63.7 per cent Indians) and Linsum (48.3 per cent Indians) home to the highest and second highest proportion of Indian voters in Rantau.
Bandar Ekar, which has the highest count of Chinese voters and third highest for Indian voters, remained firmly behind the ruling coalition.
