KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) loss in the Rantau race underscores the need to focus on cost of living issues, PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and a few Pakatan leaders said.
Klang MP Charles Santiago and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chief strategist Rais Hussin both also urged PH to improve communications.
“This loss is a reminder to the PH leadership to give the appropriate attention to public concerns about the economy and the cost of living,” Anwar said in a statement.
Santiago similarly said Barisan Nasional’s (BN) victory in the Rantau by-election showed a need to focus on the cost of living and workers’ wages.
Wake- up call for PH. Need to focus on cost of living issues & decent wages for workers. Time to regain peoples confidence. PHs comm and social media has to buck up. https://t.co/RI6FVNrE7T
— Charles Santiago (@mpklang) April 13, 2019
Rais urged PH to set up a committee to monitor the delivery of PH’s 2018 election manifesto.
PH must : 1. Establish Manifesto Monitoring Committee to track the delivery of its Manifesto. 2. Establish a Manifesto Recalibrating Committee to take into consideration current realities. 3. Improve communications to the people. Must be honest and genuine. 4. Stop politicking !
— Dr. Rais Hussin (@raishussin) April 13, 2019
He also warned the ruling coalition about youth dissatisfaction, as BN purportedly won the youth vote in Rantau.
The youth are moving away ! Youth unemployment and underemployment are growing by the day ! They are a frustrated with lack of solution for the youth as promised by PH. Left unchecked will harm PH in a big way in GE15 ! https://t.co/xQPKfGG1qU
— Dr. Rais Hussin (@raishussin) April 13, 2019
Acting Umno president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan retained Rantau, a multi-racial Negri Sembilan state seat he has held since 2004, with a majority of over 4,500 votes.
Mohamad’s convincing majority came even as BN reportedly lost the area at the federal level in the 14th general election last year.
