MEDIA reports are open to interpretation. Or even blatant misrepresentation.
This was very much the case with PAS representative Dr Tengku Muhammad Fakharudin claiming that Chinese-language media had reported mass dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Madani administration.
Chinese voters are DONE with Anwar.
Massive headlines in mainstream Chinese newspapers today show a shocking shift:
“倒安华” — “Down with Anwar”
From Sin Chew to Nanyang, the message is clear:
🔺 Economic mismanagement
🔺 Broken promises
🔺 Living cost crisisEven the loyal… pic.twitter.com/8wHMZ1cUHl
— Dr Tengku Muhammad Fakhruddin (@drtgfakhruddin) July 28, 2025
The Terengganu state assemblyman for Sura painted a picture whereby Chinese voters – often seen as core Madani supporters – had given up on PMX due to broken electoral pledges.
He cited economic mismanagement and the cost-of-living crisis as key issues that have pushed this segment of the electorate beyond the pale.
Alas, this is not the case as the media reports make NO such claim apart from reporting on the Turun Anwar rally that took place last Saturday (July 26).
The post on X is slowly creeping up in numbers with 276.7K views at time of publication with 422 likes, 177 shares and 256 comments. The pertinent question is how many have swallowed this misrepresentation as fact?
A few commenters questioned the poster’s interpretation of the reports. When it is in another language, it can be perceived wrongly as one commenter pointed out.
One even reminded the poster not to embarrass his honorific titles of ‘Dr’ and ‘Tengku’ by spreading such “falsities”.
Readers proficient in Chinese confirmed that there was no such message in any of the three mainstream Chinese media reportage whether Nanyang Siang Pau, Sin Chew Daily or China Press.
This view was supported by commenters who chastised the PAS state assemblyman for spreading lies given that such antics were embarrassing and unbecoming.
Some pointedly asked how did the poster arrive at this conclusion. Did the entire Chinese community support the Turun Anwar rally?
A well-known finfluencer, Ooi Beng Cheang, openly questioned how many Chinese actually attended the rally with images showing the protestors to be mainly Malays. This was not “proof” as claimed by the poster.
He went on to ask if PAS had any examples of good governance that was not widely reported that would perhaps convince him to vote for the Islamist party.
The answer to the above query was provided by another commenter who highlighted the sorry state of the Kota Bahru bus terminal. It was surmised that such under-development was why PAS did not win many urban seats.
PAS’s own response to the cost-of-living crisis was also highlighted by one commenter to show that, perhaps, the electorate are not as forgetful or shallow as the Dr Fakhruddin would like to think.
A short clip purportedly showing protestors as naïve and giving vague answers to why they joined the rally further underlined the suspicion that the event was staged by PAS. The claim that they each received “sponsorship” money as much as RM300 to attend the rally reinforces this view.
Perhaps, the target of this post are not Chinese voters but rather the Malay voters – majority not being able to read Chinese. These people would find themselves being hoodwinked into thinking there is mass dissatisfaction with PMX.
There certainly is disillusionment and even frustration with Anwar and his stewardship of the country. But such blatant lies will do little to convince the electorate that PAS can provide a viable alternative. – July 31, 2025
