In the 8 March 2008 General Election, the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition contested a straight fight with the Opposition in most constituencies, except for a number of independent candidates and failure between DAP and PKR to reach an agreement over avoiding multi-corner fights in Sabah and Sarawak.
In that election, the 3 main parties - DAP, PKR and PAS - had avoided contesting each other in the peninsula. Although DAP did not have any pact with PAS then, the arrangement was made via PKR where DAP and PKR first ironed out seats allocation with decision first made on which seats DAP would contest, and PKR will then iron out seat allocation with PAS.
Many voters who voted against the BN in the election voted DAP, PKR or PAS, depending on which party contested as the opposition candidate in a constituency.
Muslim voters who used to avoid voting DAP in the past, voted for DAP while non-Muslim voters who used to avoid voting PAS in the past, voted PAS.
These voters who voted for DAP, PKR and PAS wished to see a united opposition to play a check and balance role against the BN government. Many of them even hoped that the 3 parties can form the government, which is realized with the fall of the state governments of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor to the opposition coalition which was later known as Pakatan Rakyat.
Therefore, any attempt by PAS to form a coalition government with UMNO will be a betrayal of support given by the voters who voted them in. Voters either hope to see a strong opposition among DAP, PKR and PAS, or to see the 3 parties together forming a government, like in Perak and Selangor.
It is important to note that the majority of voters who voted DAP, PKR and PAS did not vote along racial lines. We are in fact sick of racial politics and it is time to move on to make Malaysia a role model of peace, justice and equality for everyone, subject to provisions of the Federal Constitution.
Forming an UMNO-PAS government is against the wishes of the voters. Not only supporters of DAP and PKR will feel betrayed if PAS forms a coaliition government with UMNO. Even supporters of MCA, MIC and Gerakan in BN will feel betrayed if UMNO forms a coalition government with PAS!
PAS should instead concentrate on their promises of a welfare government for the people and to establish justice for all. Don’t forget that UMNO campaigned against PAS while PAS campaigned against UMNO in the recent elections.
