A Smart Dentist Speaks

Listen to the Dentist.

You may not like him. But he speaks some truth here.

Shazwan Mustafa Kamal of the Malaysian Insider reports from Shah Alam after talking to the good dentist over BN’s chances of wresting back Selangor from Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Look at these gems of experience from Toyo.

Without mincing his words, Toyo explains that an over-dominant Umno in Selangor will cost Barisan Nasional (BN) crucial voter support in the next general election as it will push non-Malays towards PR. He singled out the sole problem in Selangor-that BN component parties were not “unified” — the MCA MIC and Gerakan have failed to play their part in attracting new young voters. As a result UMNO started relying on itself and up its ante to solidify its own support base in preparations for the upcoming polls.

Hear him speak.

“When Umno becomes more dominant, they are going to push away the non-Malay votes.”

He reasoned that one of the reasons during his term why the Chinese did not vote for BN was because Umno was too dominant in Selangor. He added the continuing trend of difficulty in securing urban votes will make it difficult for BN to re-take the state.

Toyo became Opposition leader in the Selangor State Assembly when BN lost to PR in the 2008 general election.PR won 36 of the 56 state seats. He was subsequently replaced by PKR’s Khalid Ibrahim.

Toyo observed that an “almost” balanced voter demographic between Malays and non-Malays in the state made it difficult for BN to gain full electoral support as only Malay votes were currently with BN.[Loaded statement]

Let us look at Toyo’s mathematics.

“Can BN take over Selangor with Umno? We go back to percentage-52 per cent of voters are non-Malays.” He reminded that the problem is that some of the seats which Umno won in 2008 were below 500 votes yet Umno feels all seats are winnable today as it only receive feedback from Malays. ”

He lamented that while Umno had been diligently engaging with the Malay community in Selangor and getting positive feedback, component parties like the MCA and MIC have yet to do the same. [Likelihood in lala la land and converting the converted!]

Khir believes that there is a need to get a timely report from the non-Malays. “Umno does it but component parties should do it for Chinese and Indians. The point is if Umno is too dominant, it makes non-Malays uncomfortable and they then vote for PR in default.”

The solution to this, said Toyo, was for BN to “empower” MCA MIC and Gerakan party leaders by allowing them to announce allocations and projects for their own communities instead of Prime Minister Najib Razak doing so.

Toyo said that non-Malays had lost “respect” for BN component party leaders as they were seen as not being able to do anything to help their own communities. [What a keen observation!]

“That is why now we have to give more power to MCA MIC Make sure their party presidents announce school allocations to their own communities. If we hope for the PM and deputy prime minister to do this Umno will be seen as too dominant and the Chinese will lose respect for their own leaders.[Too late?]

“That’s the problem now and I have always said we need to enhance opportunities to other party leaders to make their own decisions and we give them allocations ”, he stressed.

Toyo praised Mahathir for empowering component party leaders during his tenure as PM and that was why past leaders like Samy Vellu and Ling Liong Sik were respected.

“Umno’s strength alone cannot pull non-Malays like we have done with Malays. Selangor BN needs to move as BN, not Umno. We’re on the last lap before elections.[ Another keen observation!]

“That’s why Samy Vellu was like the king for his race because he announced the allocations; not Mahathir. Last time component leaders were very strong and respected because they went down to the ground and gave things.” [MCA and Gerakan too?]

He pooh-poohed current ministers and said they had no ‘oomph’ factor. He cited Liow Tiong Lai and Kong Cho Ha as such leaders.

He also foresee BN possibly losing the states of Selangor,Perak, Kedah,Negeri Sembilan and the Federal Territory in the 13 GE.

Toyo, the oracler, may be just right this time, you know!