Since the 1st general election (GE) after independence in 1959 until the 9th GE in 1995, Opposition parties contested under it's individual banner without any formal pact or alliance.
Following the sacking of Datuk Sri Anwar Ibrahim (DSAI) from Govt and party (Umno) in 1998, birthed People's Justice Party (PKR) in April 1999 with DSAI's wife, Datin Sri Dr Wan Azizah at the helm of the party.
Other than 1969 GE where combined opposition parties had denied The Alliance Party it's two-third
majority, the Opposition was not mighty enough to create an impact in Malaysian GEs.
Until the year 1999 when the loose pact of PKR, DAP & PAS now in a coalition known as the
Alternative Front (founded in 1998) achieved better results but running short of parliament seats to deny incumbent National Front it's two-third majority.
The DSAI saga had obviously contributed towards the perfomance of the Opposition.
However, in the 2004 GE, Opposition suffered major losses. The National Front re-captured many parliamentary seats the Opposition had won in the last GE.
When DSAI was released from prison (after the 2004 GE was conducted), Alternative Front was dissolved and succeeded by the People Front (PR) following the 2008 GE.Still an informal coalition party in status,
they had worked closely among it's members namely, PKR, DAP & PAS.
The efforts paid off when PR managed to deny the National Front it's two-third majority.
Their sweetest achievements indeed and National Front's worst since 1969 GE.
Remained informal coalition party, PR performed better than that of 2008 GE in the most recent GE13 but fell short in parliamentary seats to form a Govt, though they won in popular vote.
However, they continued to deny National Front it's two third majority in two consecutive GEs and had the consolation of gaining an additional 7 parliamentary seats.
National Front fared even poorer than the previous GE where the then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was 'forced' to relinquish his position following it's worst GE performance since 1969.
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| Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi |
If we take voting trend of peninsula electorate in GE13, Opposition PR had the opportunity to form a Govt.
Their chances were made impossible when voters of Sabah & Sarawak remained loyal to the ruling party.
Electorate of Sabah and Sarawak may not share the same sentiments as in peninsula though of late, people's rise is notable.
It will be an uphill task for Opposition to break these National Front's fix deposit states.
Efforts to win the voters must be continuously and consistently carried out in preparation for 2018 GE.
Should pattern of the Chinese electorate in peninsula is preserved, securing close to half of Sabah & Sarawak combined parliamentary seats would promise the Opposition a Govt.
This will be the most sensible option than depending solely on peninsula parliamentary seats, though not impossible.
Should the latter becoming the option, Opposition need to get a swing from the Malay and Indian electorate especially in rural constituencies.
As popular saying goes, "it's easier to become a champion than keeping the championship" thus it is pertinent for the Opposition to ensure a sound representation of all their voters.
Apart from that, there shouldn't be any bickering between it's members. Any differences within one party or members of the coalition should be dealt with in most appropriate manner.
Sensationalizing it (turning to medias) will have an adverse impact on the party or parties in the coalition.
Complacency must not envelope in all members especially at leaders level.
Forget not, the ruling party will make full use of the time frame until the next GE to win back the electorate and being the Govt of the day, they have all the ways and means to do so.
22 seats short to make them Govt in GE13. It's Not that far, really.
They (Opposition) must change slogan into action from this moment onwards.
Many are already tired with the stereotype style of the ruling party. Their current cabinet line-up too is not impressive. Appointment of some 'recycled' members into the cabinet do not reflect well on Prime Minister Datuk Najib's transformation team.
All those serve as a bonus for the Opposition to wrest power via the ballot box come GE2018.
Opposition's asset is only the voters. They can't afford to loose them if they are serious enough in offering all Malaysians an alternative Govt.
"Let them laugh at us for being different and we laugh at them for being the same".
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