JUNE 25 — It is three days to the start of the Johor election.

There is absolutely nothing of significance to report as far as ideas are concerned.

Based on Johor, and presumably in Negeri Sembilan too, Malaysia should look around to see if there are global awards or ranking systems for political parties, like TIMES or QS. 

Because we would absolutely smash it as the most colourless electioneers in the world.

Really, just nothing out there.

And my ire is directed at Bersama. Surely as the late johnny to the soirée, it should make more of a meal of it.

Why?

Because it is the Rafizi Ramli party. Opines he rides ahead of the herd. Now, unconstrained by party etiquette and fluff, he can display his full repertoire. Instead, he and Bersama, other than the wisecracks, are completely rudderless.

Firstly, that does not mean do not vote for Bersama. There are worse choices. It’s just that after pegging itself as the better choice, it refuses to be the different choice it promises to be. And if there is no substantive difference between Bersama and the tired usual, incumbency wins.

That’s the pity of it all. 

Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad left their party and their parliamentary seats. Noble in that they did not pretend to stay in the party while bitching about it and the leadership. 

And they started a party. Which is great for them. All Jomo Kenyattas and Sukarnos have to begin with vehicles.

Now, there’s the vehicle. Use it.

Tell us why Bersama has the core principles which were never realised in PKR.

It seems they have the same idea of political parties as those in the ascendancy. Pick up interesting people and put them in to contest. 

Since interesting people are in short supply they settle for “been around” characters, hoping they’d be familiar even if galaxies away from being interesting.

How not to be incensed when Bersama chooses to unveil its 15 candidates tomorrow evening, 12 hours from the nomination deadline. 

Rafizi says it is a strategy. At this rate they might be the best kept secrets in all the 15 constituencies the weekend after election day. If the strategy was for fewer people to know that they want their votes, then it is working spectacularly well.

The reason why election campaigns were shortened in the 1980s by Dr Mahathir was to rush them, and therefore not let his opponents familiarise themselves to voters. 

Mix it with the potent power of incumbency and state media, it results in electorates in a struggle to turn their backs on Barisan Nasional.

Before the voters can pause to consider the other ideas available and chat with their friends and families, and rationalise the options and candidates, the politicians are already in the state assembly or Dewan Rakyat to be sworn-in.

New ideas need time to coagulate in the minds of the people. New parties by definition seek to bring new ideas. Getting more time is critical for them to seed the ideas in the masses’ minds.

That means putting their core principles out early. Introduce the candidates as early as possible and hit the ground running. Only when the people are acquainted with the candidates can they offer themselves as volunteers and polling/counting agents.

BN, PN and Pakatan do not need more time to campaign beyond what is allotted because they do not intend to present anything new. They are resource rich and imagination poor which is par for the course.

Let me give you an example.

BN are very happy that Zahid Hamidi, who is also their chairman, is not made to complete his defence in the Akal Budi case, those 47 corruption charges. 

PN are the people inside the glass house who cannot ill-afford to throw stones. 

Pakatan is led by the prime minister.

All three are going to instead claim they are about doing the best for Malaysia beginning with Johor. 

Why so, they have a good line-up of candidates. They have zero interest in assuming a clear position because that would be risky.

How does Bersama want to deal with the Zahid question?

By not.

It is highly unlikely that Rafizi can find it in himself to say that it was wrong not to pursue the case.

To be contrite about the past. Bersama cannot surge in the present without the fortitude to admit its leaders’ complicity in political compromises, shockingly unethical.

The high moral horse needs an occupant and no one is brave enough to mount the saddle.

Zahid is not the only mistake that Rafizi actively participated in, so did Nik Nazmi. The journey to the top through Bersama requires them to cleanse themselves of their previous roles, by being remorseful, at least.

Then to live that kamikaze ethos they announce but do not dare embrace in action.

They are not in PKR anymore, so why act like they are? They can break the usual splinter mould. Rather than be a better version of PKR, they can become a better version of themselves and offer examples to their people to a philosophical core of their movement. Again, not a less dull version of PKR.

For instance, the campaign for the 16th General Election should have started two years ago. They are late but instead of trying to be a contender in this election, they should treat it as a dress rehearsal for the real show, the general election no more than eighteen months from now.

I fear in desperation they’d just join the rest, to be the umpteenth populist party with no ideas but a conveyor belt of recycled leaders.

I’d be happy to be proven wrong but all the indications up to this juncture point to a brasher appearing party with an unabashed leader with no logical theory underpinning the enterprise.

Before they want the people to sing their song, they might want to write it. Not mimic the old guys and hope everyone pretends it’s a new song because Rafizi and Nik Nazmi are singing it.

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.