What maketh a force? (UPDATED with Chinese Translation)

The bottom line is, the third force would become a reality only because of the attitude of Pakatan Rakyat in trying to monopolise the electoral process and not share the field with others.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

It looks like the issue of the Third Force does not want to go away. I wrote earlier that the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) is not a third force and it was never intended to become one. Nevertheless, many still insist that it is a third force in spite of these denials.

Be careful what you wish for lest your wish gets granted. If you keep talking about it too much and too often it may just become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

What Syed Husin Ali said, however, does hold some truth when he commented that the third force is neither third nor a force. This was almost the same argument that was used to change the name of the opposition coalition from Barisan Alternatif (the Alternative Front) to Pakatan Rakyat (the People’s Alliance).

Why should the opposition coalition be called ‘alternative’? Alternative to what? Barisan Nasional (the National Front)? Alternative means second choice, second choice to Barisan Nasional. So the name Barisan Alternatif was replaced with Pakatan Rakyat.

The idea of a third force must be dropped. As Syed Husin said, it is neither third nor a force, yet. Instead it should be called Barisan Rakyat (the People’s Front).

It can still be a force, though, if it wants to. However, to be a force to be reckoned with, Barisan Rakyat must merge all the different ‘mosquito groups’. The political parties, movements and whatnot -- such as Hindraf, groupings from West Malaysia, groupings from East Malaysia, and so on -- should be brought under one roof.

Then, when this new grouping called Barisan Rakyat is as big as Pakatan Rakyat, both must sit down and hammer out an electoral pact.

Pakatan Rakyat is a coalition of three parties versus Barisan Nasional, a coalition of 14 parties. Soon, Barisan Nasional will enlarge its membership by allowing direct non-party membership. Barisan Nasional may soon become a bigger giant than it already is.

Pakatan Rakyat must also try to enlarge its membership. All the three parties in Pakatan Rakyat combined can’t even beat the membership of just Umno, let alone that of Barisan Nasional.

Pakatan Rakyat can no longer remain an ‘exclusive club’.

Pakatan Rakyat must reach out to Barisan Rakyat. It needs to invite them to become coalition members of Pakatan Rakyat. Only then can Pakatan Rakyat grow from being a coalition of three parties to maybe six, seven or eight.

If Pakatan Rakyat closes its doors and refuses to embrace Barisan Rakyat then they leave the others no choice but to form their own grouping or coalition. And this would mean a third force that they talk about would really emerge. But it will emerge not because those in Barisan Rakyat want it to but because Pakatan Rakyat closes it doors and treats them as the enemy and forces the ‘homeless’ Barisan Rakyat to build a home of their home.

The bottom line is, the third force would become a reality only because of the attitude of Pakatan Rakyat in trying to monopolise the electoral process and not share the field with others.

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Syed Husin: Third force 'neither third, nor force'

Public attention on rampant politicking during the just-concluded PKR polls prompted much talk about a political 'third force' coming into existence.

But for PKR's NONEoutgoing deputy president Syed Husin Ali, talk will be talk because for now, the third force is “neither third, nor force”.

“Most people associate the idea of a third force with the Liberal Party in England, but the Liberal Party has existed for hundreds of years as a political organisation. It has its own force.

“We have yet to see this third force as a 'force' or a 'third' because there are differing views among those behind it, too,” he told Malaysiakini last week.

The veteran politician's decision to not defend his post sparked vicious in-fighting in PKR and allegations of vote-rigging. This led to deputy presidential aspirant Zaid Ibrahim pulling out of the contest and eventually quitting the party, pledging to set up a new one.

Syed Husin said he understands that parties involved in the third force are not entirely independent.

“We know who is behind the third force and they may not necessarily be Pakatan-friendly,” he said, noting that this could have an adverse impact on the opposition coalition.

“I more or less know (who is involved) but one by one they have come out to say they have nothing to do with it, including Zaid, the one in Sabah, in the peninsula and in Sarawak,” he said.

Lawyer and prominent blogger Haris Ibrahim - another person said to be part of the third force - has also denied the claim, saying that his proposed Barisan Rakyat is intended to screen election candidates for Pakatan Rakyat.

However, Haris does not rule out the possibility of the 20 proposed candidates contesting independently if Pakatan does not accept them.

This did not sit well with Syed Husin, who said PKR does not need to be held at ransom.

“We have our own screening process and we have a larger group of potential (candidates). Of course we can make the decision to let others contest under our banner (as PSM candidates did in 2008), that's not a problem (but) we make this decision, not someone else coming in to say 'You must field this candidate'.

“If they say they have someone with potential, that person must show their strength because in politics numbers count. How strong is his support?”

Interestingly, Syed Husin said that a representative believed to be in the group behind Barisan Rakyat had met with him prior to the 2008 election to suggest a candidate for the Kota Damansara state seat.

“It so happened that I knew this person he was referring to, (so I said) 'Do you know that he is a drunkard? Where is this screening? You come here to negotiate, to ask that someone else be sidelined. But if this is your candidate then sorry, goodbye'.” -- Malaysiakini

READ MORE HERE: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/149034

Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2010/11/blog-post_5657.html

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Comments (17) Add Comment

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written by kahsinaw, November 29, 2010 01:30:25

You can always try to put it into whatever form, MCLM, third force, ZI, but as long as it is not aligned to the reformasi movement it will not work. Please remember that the whole of Malaysia knows nothing about DSAI until the birth of Reformasi. It was definitely through Reformasi that God wanted to jolt DSAI via Mahathir Mohamad and tranform him into what he is today. It is so glaring, when DSAI was in captivity DAP, PAS and even PKR themselves found almost total emptiness in their fight. Look at what happened to PKR, DAP and PAS in 2004, they were made to look like rookies. All this changed when DSAI came out of captivity. Gwo Burne Low was very instrumental with the Lingam tape but DSAI capitalised on it. He singlehandedly created so many more other pertinent issues and capiltalised on them fully to give PR that all important victory in the PRU12. PAS or DAP were merely riding on the reformasi movement to achieve what they have been dreaming off only all their life. Of course if you want to go by the cycle, there will be a possibility that BN may regain back their popularity in PRU13 but the PR will be a formidable force if they just maintain the reformasi stand with the total and undivided support for DSAI to lead PR

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written by Angela Ooi, November 26, 2010 07:02:06

I have no fear of any force or group who are anti injustice and want better for the Rakyat. If MCLM is to be axillary group to help ensure Pakatan (besides Bn) behaves itself; mop up the fence-sitters; and more importantly, speak and educate the public on issues vital to the betterment of our nation, where's the problem??

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written by Catharsis, November 26, 2010 05:38:58

EVOLUTION DOES NOT HAPPEN OVER NIGHT............this is a very long process.............AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS THE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE THIS PROCESS

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written by PennStater, November 25, 2010 23:06:34

What Third Force?? Pakatan Rakyat still has not demonstrated that they are a viable alternative to BN! While Pakatan has shown some glimpses of hope for change, they (in particular PKR) still show their lack of maturity and lack of focus for change. Rally call for Sept-16 Malaysia Day two years ago was a great target, and even though PR fell way short of that target they should have re-grouped and re-strategized. Instead PR (and especially PKR) has been embroiled in Internal party politics (ala UMNO).

DAP & PAS should knock some sense into PKR and threaten to kick them out. DAP+PAS+this "so called third force" can then be the Real McCoy to topple BN!

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written by Atheist, November 25, 2010 15:56:00

actually it is the third farce ... and a good one at that ....
To be a third force you must have a steady platform like my aircraft carrier
You must be able to launch solid ideas like my .......
You must be nuclear powered like my ....
You must go where you are needed and where the trouble is like my .....
You must be the first one there like my ....

Instead BN, PKR etc are like a couple of semen in a submarine waiting to enter some hole ......... what a Malay dilemma !!!!!

smilies/angry.gif

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written by kevinD, November 25, 2010 13:49:19

Wat is wrong with all you people !!!! The 3rd force is the rakyat!! Stop waiting for someone to solve your problems!!! Stop blaming others for your problems!!! Find your balls and act!!! Vote BN out. PKR is not perfect but for the time being its all we have. There is no time for another party to be formed. Dont think of it as voting PKR in but instead think of it as voting BN out!!! We need this change more than the air we breath. If BN wins again this GE , we are all FCUKED!!! Pete , i respect you a lot , appreaciate your sacrifice , wish i had half your guts , agree with 99% of the time. But sometimes we need to zip it. Lets put PKR in power , give them 2 terms , get the country off its knees. Lets take it one day at a time.
As for HINDRAF-----waste of time , major liability. Their small minds cant see the big picture.

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written by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , November 25, 2010 13:17:38

Please let us know where to sign up. Getting really fed-up with the so called two party system. Both dua kali lima parties.

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written by batsman, November 25, 2010 07:39:09

There is talk about the 3rd force becasue reality is pushing up such forces, not because mere talk is creating the 3rd force.

PR is the opposition. If PR can cater to all the needs of all the various forces against BN, there will not be a 3rd force. However, if PR cannot cater to all these opposition forces, becomes isolated and exclusive, all the rest of the opposition forces will seek avenues for expression.

PR cannot use the tactic of excluding them from standing for elections and trying to monopolise the elections against BN. Instead of being THE opposition, PR will just become one of the opposition.

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written by blackpea, November 25, 2010 01:33:20

WHY talk about the 3rd Force when even the 2nd force was not even proven, are Malaysians that impatient, You have let UMNO rule for 50 yrs why not let PR start afresh,..... why not throw away UMNO 1st before even discussing about third force. UMNO will be glad if everyone start fighting among themselves so that they can remain in power. Lets do it a step by step PLEASE . To HINDRAF ... pls get your priority right, dont come cry baby when INDIANS get shot by PRDM.

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written by Merdeka, November 24, 2010 23:53:13

Anwar is very greedy wants to control all! however after his members won they jumpship yet Anwar still not learning from his mistakes. Dia tu kepala otak apa?

-5

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written by Wisdom above, November 24, 2010 21:17:38

It was the " Cohesive SPIRIT & Divergence FORCES " of BARISAN RAKYAT which actually propelled the PKR-DAP-PAS coalition to VICTORY in the 12th GE 2008.

Barisan Rakyat (the People’s Front) in itself connotes LIFE and HOPE for a Better MALAYSIA for ALL !

The " THIRD FORCE " displaying these " Cohesive SPIRIT & Divergence FORCES " will become a REALITY if PAKATAN RAKYAT in its present form, still continue to Disappoint us yet again and again !

We WANT a Matured PARTY with CLEAN MALAYSIAN Representatives to uphold integrity in all aspects of GOVERNMENT to take over PUTRAJAYA !

The LIKED MINDED members of the THIRD FORCE are now faithfully serving in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) State Governments as well as within the Barisan Nasional (BN) at both the State and Federal Government !

Look around us , these REAL Representatives will one day , be compelled to band together to CHANGE the Political landscape of Malaysia ! Do not SLUMBER too deeply in ignorance !

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written by batsman, November 24, 2010 20:24:26

“It so happened that I knew this person he was referring to, (so I said) 'Do you know that he is a drunkard? Where is this screening? You come here to negotiate, to ask that someone else be sidelined. But if this is your candidate then sorry, goodbye'.”

Aisehman - judge jury and executioner. I guess Zaid will always be an UMNO man, but what about DSAI and the rest of the crew? Will Chua Jui Meng be always an MCA man?

I guess Syed Husin Ali will always be the purest one. Amin.

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written by ibabonma, November 24, 2010 19:41:00

That being said, my thought now wandering looking for Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifly Nordin and Wee Chee Keong.

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written by malaysianohope, November 24, 2010 18:50:11

Perhaps all the members of the 3 Opposition parties should just resign & join a single party for all races instead of following barisan race based parties. Why should we follow barisan way when it 's a recipe for disaster like what's happening now. Only most qualified & character checked candidates would be selected to stand for election so as to weed out scumbags, prostitutes & frogs.

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written by reeperbahn, November 24, 2010 18:09:52

..what you say is right, but it is going to be a monumental task bringing together all the splinter groups. if Barisan Rakyat becomes a reality and opens direct memberships it would stand a chance as a solo party to replace the weak PKR. with the mosquito groups its going to be 'banyak susah lah'
its time we abolish race based groupings in the real spirit of 1Malaysia!

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written by nagappan, November 24, 2010 17:32:51

Dear RPK, if you bring in Hindraf, you are asking for big trouble Think carefully first. They will be asking you for this and that as if you own the country. If you don't give they will condemn you left right and centre. So think very carefully.

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written by yusuf m, November 24, 2010 17:19:38

Uncle Syed, jangan melatahlah. We all want the same results, that is to kick umno out, bn out. What pr need to do is to engage with br, like what rpk said, to hammer out the distribution of seats to ensure genuine, principled candidates go into one on one fights with bn at on EVERY SEAT. If we cannot even do that then we only have ourselves to blame, and there is something seriously wrong with our commitment/conviction.