PETALING JAYA: PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin has dismissed any suggestion that the Tanjung Piai defeat was a referendum on Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) performance.
She pointed out that unlike Barisan Nasional (BN), which was in power for 61 years, PH had held the reins of government for only 18 months.
“Therefore, there is still a lot of time for PH to fulfil its obligations. We must be given time,” she said.
“Many of the ministers are new and still green. We are in the learning process. It’s not right to judge us.
“It’s still too early to judge the government given that there still are many things to be done.”
Zuraida, who is also Housing and Local Government minister, was commenting on PH’s loss in the Tanjung Piai by-election on Saturday.
“The PH machinery is still weak and not working properly. There are teething problems and the people need to understand this and give us (more) time.”
She also discounted claims that the Chinese community had deserted PH.
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim described the loss as a clear message to the PH leadership.
“We have to learn from this and take cognizance,” Bernama reported him as saying.
Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu said the results showed that the government should improve its governance and implement initiatives for the good of the people.
DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang said the Tanjung Piai voters spoke not only for themselves when they cast their ballots in favour of BN, but for the whole country as well. He said they were expressing their frustration and unhappiness with the pace of reform.
Johor PH chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the coalition had to go back to the drawing board and review policies, approaches and performance of the party and government “that has led to this sense of dissatisfaction among the people”.
PH president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also deputy prime minister, said PH would try to improve and learn from its loss.
