In this article, I am fully supporting Daim’s prediction about GE15, particularly related to Parti Islam SeMalaysia or PAS.

Daim predicted, as I have also, that PAS can be a big winner than the 18 seats and three states they currently control.

I have warned Malaysians many times in my articles that the Malay middle class are now completely entrenched in religion and support any conservative policies on establishing Islam in Malaysia, socially, religiously and politically.

Daim even went so far as to say that the Malays are now more into presenting an Islam that is conservative and would support any political party displaying and sloganizing Islam as its battle cry.

My purpose of writing this essay is to advise Malaysians to be extremely wary of this development which had already taken place ten years ago, and also to advise Malaysians on how to react on issues of religious baiting by PAS or Umno.

I would firstly advise Malaysians, the civil society and non-Malay politicians on how to handle Islamic issues this close to the general election.

Secondly, I will propose my own idea of political partnerships and strategies for winning the country back from extremists of religion and bigots.

Recently, we have seen how the Bon Odori issue has caused a stir in the Malaysian society. We see also that there were many Malaysians who are non-Malays that have given their comments.

In the days closest to the general election, more and more high powered issues like the RUU355, I think, will be baited by PAS and its partners.

The issue of the Christian threats, I assume, will be one of the favorites that will be played up by certain parties.

Malaysians must refrain from answering these issues if they are not Muslims. My simple advice is, let the Muslims answer these issues.

If none are forthcoming, then the non-Malay media must interview the professors, academics or Islamic NGOs about their take on the issues.

At length, there should be a group of Muslim Malaysians with other non-Muslim Malaysians that can answer these Islam-weighted issues.

I notice that DAP’s non-Malay MPs and ADUNs are very quick to air their comments on the media regarding Islamic issues.

I don’t know whether to call these people naive or just plain stupid. Sorry to be so kasar but their comments have damaged any bridge between Muslim Malaysians and non-Muslim Malaysians for many years to come.

Of course, these MPs and ADUNs are looked upon as ‘heroes’ and ‘heroines’ in their respective constituencies. Their chances of getting reelected increase with their stupidity in answering the Islamic issues baited by certain political parties.

We Malaysians must do the opposite and reject these selfish and unthinking MPs and ADUNs.

I know that we are a democracy with freedom of speech, but we must always use wisdom in deciding when and what to speak.

One popular statement will set back ten years of good relationships between faiths and races.

I always wonder why the likes of Dr. Aziz Bari, Zairil Khir Johari and other Malay DAP personalities are not the first to give a counter response to any Islamic issues.

I therefore have to ask, is DAP a Chinese political party?

From where I am standing and looking at all the statements on Islam, I am starting to think that my friends may be right all along that DAP is a racist party.

Their party election that does not see any inspiring action to appoint more Malays seem to be the nail in the coffin despite their rhetoric of kami parti untuk rakyat semua kaum.

PAS and Umno absolutely loves it when Malaysia’s non-Muslims, especially those from DAP, answer their election baiting issues on Melayu and Islam.

When should Malaysians wise up to this 60-year-old trick? Bila kita semua nak sedar?

Not answering does not mean that we are frightened or that we do not care or that we are ignorant, but it is a strategy not to fall into the enemy’s traps!

The general election war games have already started and come the day of casting votes, it would be too late to strategize any battle plans already.

Secondly, I wish to air my opinion on the PH Big Tent strategy.

I think PH should have a Small Tent strategy. I don’t support Rafizi’s ‘No Tent’ strategy.

I think a strong PN with PAS and Bersatu as core members would give an excellent advantage to PH as the Malay votes will be split between Umno-BN and PAS-Bersatu PN.

Nobody cares about MCA, MIC or Gerakan as they are all ikan bilis to many Malaysians.

Wherever the whale goes, the ikan bilis will follow.

The Johor and Melaka state elections showed how PN was able to give Umno a run for its money.

If the PH supporters were to participate in the two elections, the two states would already be under PH rule!

Thus, Malaysians MUST NOT be bitten by the Voter Fatigued or Voter-Marah virus. Everyone who cares about the nation’s future must return home to vote. Everyone.

Only with an above 80% voter turnout will PN and BN have nightmares of GE14.

Pejuang has no teeth and yet it wants to place candidates in many places.

Warisan seems to think it can win in all three nations with Shafie suddenly declaring he will work with anyone who wins for a stable government.

Shafie has just signed his retirement papers with that statement and no longer is deserving of any worthy consideration of a leader.

I used to think that he was a good PM material, but not so after that statement.

PH must build a Small Tent with MUDA, Gerak and MAP.

MUDA must remember it is a newbie and toe the line and do not be keras kepala. MUDA is orang baru, so just act like one.

PKR must also field credible candidates. I would never vote for any candidate that I think is from the ‘old politics of power’ and not a politic of serving the people.

We the rakyat demand to know who PKR’s candidates are before they are fielded or chosen so that we can have a say or two on these characters.

If not, Malaysians will not promise any blank check to PKR.

PH must also drop this Anwar PM thing and offer a possible PMship to Sabah and Sarawak parties like GPS which has shown its teeth and is a strong political player.

I can live with a PH-BN government. It already exists. What I can’t live with is a PAS-BN rule. This is a disaster of extinction level event, because Malaysia will just …disappear from the cosmos.

Finally, Daim’s words must be heeded by Malaysians or else we risk Talibanizing this country with PAS controlling five states and 35 MPs.

That is the scariest scenario for this country and if that happens, we will never recognize the Malaysia that we will live in anymore.

So…fellow Malaysians, time to think differently and with wisdom, not with anger or despair.

We have to play smart politics and put these political parties in their places strategically.

(Prof Dr. Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at a local university and his writing reflects his own personal opinion entirely.)