Opposition: Reality bites
NAJIB WILL MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR THE OPPOSITION
Not long after the opposition blazed through the elections and won five states, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made a brazen — and perhaps unwise — vow to take over the federal government by Sept 16.
The Straits Times
Confidence in the opposition then was at an all-time high, and supporters had high hopes that Anwar would be seated in the administrative Putrajaya capital before the end of the year.
But Sept 16 came and went and Pakatan Rakyat supporters soon found themselves resigned to the fact that PR was not about to rule just yet.
And it did not end there.
Anwar's threats to take over the government, and the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition's attempts to make up for its humiliating loss at the general election, have given way to a seemingly endless series of tit-for-tat manoeuvres between BN and PR that have left observers struggling to keep up. Critics have urged both sides to stop the fighting and focus on the economy, but it appears their pleas are going unheeded.
PR is still grappling with governing the states it won in the elections, as its three partners continue to struggle to tackle teething problems, one of which is bringing unity to a diverse coalition.
Anwar's multi-racial Parti Keadilan Rakyat is still trying to bring together the secular DAP and the Islamist Pas — which means confronting divisive issues such as the proposed implementation of harsh hudud laws and scrapping of pro-Malay privileges.
Anwar's uphill battle is made steeper by the PKR's relative inexperience in governing. Compared to its partners, the PKR is rather weak, being made up mainly of first-time politicians who had never expected to win big last March.
“Pakatan Rakyat is struggling to govern the states under them. They face major problems with the civil service, which is still largely loyal to Umno,” noted political science lecturer James Chin of Monash University Malaysia Campus.
The opposition, he added, also seems to have trouble coordinating policies.
Last November, for instance, the PR government in Kedah had to backtrack on a proposal to raise housing quotas for Malays after coalition partners DAP and PKR protested.
The only opposition-ruled states that seem to have done well are Kelantan and Penang. The Pas government has had many years of experience running the show in Kelantan — where it has ruled since 1990 — while Penang is doing well under the DAP.
The PR government in Selangor, however, has been plagued by problems, some internal. Former Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Khir Toyo has accused it of corruption and abuse of power, a top politician quit earlier this year after photographs of her in the nude emerged, and PKR MPs had last year threatened to quit their party over internal fights for senior positions.
Then there is Perak, which is still locked in a constitutional impasse.
PR had won it last March, but several defections allowed BN to regain power in the state. PR Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin, however, has refused to give way, and the matter remains unresolved.
At a personal level, Anwar is battling a second sodomy charge, made by a former male aide last year.
And it looks likely to get worse for PR.
Analysts say that incoming premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak could make it harder for the opposition to make any headway, as his leadership style is tougher than that of the current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who has a more relaxed approach.
“The coming year will be a difficult year for the opposition,” said Chin.
“Najib is much more hardline and will crack down on dissent much harder than Abdullah. The recession will also bring a lot of political tensions with a smaller economic pie to share.”
Since last March, PR has gained some ground by winning two by-elections last year, and analysts project that it will win two more next month.
But Chin noted that such victories will not change the power equation at the federal level.
He added, however, that PR could regain its momentum if it takes over Sarawak, the country's largest state and a traditional BN stronghold.
Anwar is now gunning for that state for the next election, and PKR leaders are optimistic that the mood there now mirrors the sentiment felt across the rest of the country last March.
His first key test in Sarawak could be a by-election in the remote constituency of Batang Ai, the result of the death of the incumbent assemblyman.
The increased support for PR, note observers, makes this contest the first tough one in the BN stronghold for a long time. It is, in short, an acid test for PR, and if it passes the test, its future could look brighter indeed.
