Parti BERSAMA is not a political “trojan horse” or an agent working for Barisan Nasional (BN) or PAS to weaken Pakatan Harapan (PH), said party leader Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli.
He dismissed claims that BERSAMA was established to split votes or help BN and PAS defeat PH, arguing that neither party needs an intermediary to achieve such an outcome.
“There are people saying BERSAMA is actually a ‘trojan horse’, that it is secretly a close ally of Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor to destroy DAP and PKR.
“You will hear this from DAP and PH — that BERSAMA is a ‘trojan horse’ and an agent to defeat PH. But BN and PAS do not need an agent to defeat PH. They only need Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” he said.
Rafizi was speaking during the Kancil Tour Series in Penang last night, where he also argued that Malaysian politics remained trapped in an outdated approach despite major changes in society and the challenges facing ordinary Malaysians.
He said the country’s changing demographic structure and rising living commitments meant economic models and policies that worked three or four decades ago could no longer automatically be relied upon today.
“Our problems can no longer be solved using the methods and thinking of the 1970s and 1980s because we are a different country and society today.
“What worked 30 years ago may not necessarily work today because all the parameters and variables have changed,” he said.
According to Rafizi, political parties should have the courage to put forward new solutions to issues affecting the public, particularly the rising cost of living, healthcare and the needs of an ageing population.
He said future political strategies should also take demographic and population changes into account instead of focusing solely on securing short-term electoral victories.
Rafizi stressed that voters should be convinced that the country’s future must be built around competent and trustworthy leaders rather than racial politics, fear-based campaigning or questions over which community holds political dominance.
“We need to convince voters that what matters is helping Malays, Bumiputera, Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazans.
“It is not about political power, who is the majority or who forms the government. We need to ensure that whoever is chosen as a leader must be competent and have integrity, regardless of whether they are Malay, Chinese or Indian. That is what we need,” he said.
