'Usah Biar Fantasi Kuasai Realiti', Sinar Harian, 25 Julai 2016

Nanyang Siang Pau, 22 July 2016

'DAP Wrong To Exclude Amanah From Snap Polls Discussion', Free Malaysia Today, 23 July 2016

Robin Augustin

 | July 23, 2016

Political analysts say Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng owes an explanation as to why Amanah, an equal partner in Pakatan Harapan, was excluded from the discussion.

PETALING JAYA: The DAP should not have omitted its Pakatan Harapan ally, Amanah, from discussions on the proposed snap polls in Penang, say political analysts.
Unimas political scientist Jeniri Amir told FMT that an important decision such as a snap poll must include all parties of any political coalition.
He was commenting on Penang Amanah chief Mujahid Yusof Rawa’s admission yesterday that Amanah had not been invited to discussions on snap polls in the state.
“It should not have happened, it makes it seem as if the DAP has something to hide from Amanah.”
Jeniri said Mujahid’s revelation would have an impact on Amanah’s grassroots members, who may feel sidelined.

He said any discontent among the grassroots was bad for the coalition, especially the DAP, which needed all the support it could get now, given that its secretary- general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was facing corruption charges.
USM’s Sivamurugan Pandian also said Amanah should have been called to the discussion table and that DAP had no good reason not to include Amanah.
“Lim must now clarify why Amanah was not invited for discussions, before Amanah supporters start asking questions,” he said, adding the issue could affect Malay areas in which Amanah would want to contest.
He also said PKR, which knew about the discussions on the snap polls, should have informed Amanah about it.
Sivamurugan said Amanah should see this incident as a warning sign as to where it stood in the Pakatan Harapan coalition.
Yesterday, it was reported that Amanah had not been invited to discussions with Lim on the proposed snap polls in Penang. Mujahid had said that he only knew about the discussions through media reports.
Earlier this week, Lim held discussions with three PKR leaders, namely deputy president Azmin Ali, vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar and party elections director Saifuddin Nasution in Penang, where it was decided that there would be no snap polls for the time being.

'DAP akan menang mudah pilihan raya Pulau Pinang, kata penganalisis', Free Malaysia Today, 22 Julai 2016

 

Faiz Zainudin

 | July 22, 2016

Walaupun pembangkang berpecah, ia sedikit pun tidak menggugat sokongan rakyat Pulau Pinang kepada DAP.

PETALING JAYA: Rata-rata penganalisis politik meramalkan DAP akan kekal berkuasa di Pulau Pinang sekiranya pilihan raya negeri (PRN) diadakan sebelum PRU14.
Dr Sivamurugan Pandian dari Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) berkata walaupun trend sokongan pengundi Cina mula kembali kepada Barisan Nasional (BN), ia masih belum mampu mempengaruhi majoriti pengundi bukan Melayu di Pulau Pinang menolak DAP.
“Tujuan PRN mungkin untuk kukuhkan semula kedudukan dalam parti selepas pendakwaan ketua menteri (Lim Guan Eng). Saya percaya DAP akan kekal berkuasa walaupun PRN ditolak oleh majoriti pengundi yang melihat ia sebagai pembaziran,” katanya kepada FMT.
Penganalisis politik Universiti Malaya, Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi berpandangan serupa, dan berkata sukar pentadbiran DAP digugat memandangkan Pulau Pinang merupakan kubu kuat parti itu walaupun prestasi pembangkang di mata rakyat kurang memuaskan.
“Bagi pengundi Pulau Pinang, saya percaya mereka lebih cenderung kepada DAP. MCA dan Gerakan belum cukup kuat lagi mengatasi DAP di Pulau Pinang.

“Saya kira pembangkang mampu mempertahankan (kerusi) tapi sukar menambah kerana BN dan krisis PAS dan Amanah,” katanya.
Azman bagaimanapun tidak menolak kedudukan DAP dan PKR di kawasan majoriti Melayu sedikit goyang berdasarkan kepuusan dua PRK Sungai Besar dan Kuala Kangsar sebelum ini.
“Saya rasa mungkin majoriti undi (DAP, PKR dan PAS) berkurangan kerana pakatan pembangkang yang tidak bersatu menghadapi kekuatan jentera BN seluruh Malaysia di Pulau Pinang.
“Saya rasa BN boleh mengambil peluang, memandangkan pengundi Cina menunjukkan tanda-tanda kembali menyokong BN.
“Ini ada kelebihan kepada BN untuk meningkatkan majoriti sokongan pengundi Cina,” kata seorang lagi penganalisis politik dari Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani kepada FMT.