KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 (Bernama) -- MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel says that unhappy voters cannot be sold on the idea of development alone.
As such, he said Barisan Nasional (BN) must take cognisance of all facts, especially of the state of unhappiness" of the voters when these people went to the polls.
"These unhappy voters were not willing to buy our cup of coffee. The hard lesson for BN is that the happiness cannot be bought by selling development alone," he said in a statement since BN took a severe knock in the 12th general election as a result of a voter swing.
Palanivel said voters who had been hurt and unhappy over many big and little issues "have sent us a clear message."
BN must now look at the causes of unhappiness and address these causes, one by one, with sincerity, he said.
"Warnings and counter-warnings cannot be the answer to this question of unhappiness. It might cause more unhappiness and resentment amongst the people," he added.
In looking at the voting pattern, he said one could safely say that the unhappiness was across the board - a multi-racial unhappiness. All negative issues must be boldly faced and addressed one at a time. "
Palanivel, however, said BN could win back the confidence of the voters it lost but it would have to be a slow process, and the map must be carefully drawn without hurting voters.
"Policies and even leaders who keep on hurting human feelings must be very seriously looked at."
On the MICs dismal performance, Palanivel said that this was one of the biggest moments of failure and defeat for the party.
He said MIC itself, must look inwards as well as at other external factors.
"After all, it was not only the MIC but also the other component parties in Peninsular Malaysia who had fared badly.
"Maybe, we pulled each other down," noted Palanivel.
"There are no instant cures. What we faced was not an instant storm but one that was brewing for quite some time. Not seeing it was certainly one of our faults.
"Rebuilding the party is not an easy process but it has to be done," he said.
By Yong Soo Heong
BERNAMA
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