Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in his statement on Saturday evening withdrawing as Prime Minister candidate for Pakatan Harapan, called for a single-minded focus on the coming general election over all other issues.

In the past few months, there have been too many negative news, reports and background write-ups about Pakatan Harapan reinforcing the malaise of public disappointment and disenchantment about the possibility of political and electoral change – after the failure in the 13th General Election to bring about a national change of government despite the support of the majority of popular vote in Malaysia!

The Pakatan Harapan parties and leaders must re-ignite the hopes and dreams of Malaysians for electoral and political change in the next general election, which is likely to be held next year although we cannot completely rule out the possibility of polls in the last quarter of this year.

At a time when Najib and UMNO/BN coalition are buried almost up to their neck by their failures, fiascos and scandals, especially the new eruptions in the twin colossal financial scandals of 1MDB and FGV in the month of Ramadan, in the midst of a train of economic, educational, social and nation-building disasters, Pakatan Harapan must respond positively to the cries by all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, for leadership, change and a re-set of nation building directions and policies.

Malaysians want the country to be a top world-class nation –not a mediocre nation dangerously close to being trapped in a trajectory towards a kleptocratic, failed and rogue state.

Pakatan Harapan parties and leaders must not let the Malaysian voters down.

The robust views, debates and differences in Pakatan Harapan and among PH leaders must continue, but within the four walls of Pakatan Harapan, as we must not give fodder to UMNO and Barisan Nasional propagandists and cybertroopers to continue to concoct fake news and false information about Pakatan Harapan.

For the coming month, let the robust views, debates and differences in Pakatan Harapan continue within internal Pakatan Harapan councils and channels to build a Pakatan Harapan consensus and solidarity – away from the glare of hostile publicity and media attention.

Pakatan Harapan parties and leaders should project a positive image to build a unified and cohesive pact and focus externally on the issues that concern Malaysians, like the 1MDB and FGV twin scandals and the Malaysian nation-building crisis after six decades of nationhood.

This is why I suggest a month of moratorium by Pakatan Harapan leaders from PKR, Bersatu, Amanah and DAP to avoid negative statements and background briefings which could be exploited to Pakatan Harapan’s detriment and to focus externally on positive and offensive developments.