SHAH ALAM - It is time for the unity government to take steps towards reconciliation with the opposition following the defeat in the Sungai Bakap state by-election on Saturday.
Political analyst from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Social Sciences Professor Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said a political ceasefire was necessary to focus entirely on the country's development and nation-building.
He suggested that both sides could achieve political reconciliation through negotiations that benefit the public.
He added that through this reconciliation step, the government can continue its efforts in terms of policies and regulations peacefully, while the opposition can fulfil their role of checks and balances in a rational manner.
"In this context, perhaps certain matters can be agreed upon by signing a political memorandum of understanding listing items that can be mutually agreed upon, ensuring they do not disrupt the government's operations.
"The opposition can also obtain whatever is necessary, but this should be negotiated through discussions or consultations," he said.
On Saturday, Abidin Ismail successfully retained Perikatan Nasional's (PN) victory in Sungai Bakap with a larger majority.
Pas vice-president Datuk Idris Ahmad described the victory as a clear memorandum from the people directed at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership and the Penang DAP.
Meanwhile, Anwar, in a statement yesterday acknowledged the people's voice.
Further commenting on the matter, Sivamurugan said that excessive continuous politicking was unhealthy for the country, ultimately undermining the people's confidence and trust in the party leadership.
"This is already the second year. Make peace so there is no continuous politicking leading to character assassination, eroding confidence and support because politics is not everything.
"More importantly, focus on efforts to humanise leadership and wait until the next general election, where the mandate can be decided based on the public’s mature assessment of the political environment," he said.