As PAS sits out the storm, Pakatan is confident of the future
By Wong Choon Mei, Suara Keadilan
As their coalition partner PAS sits out a storm of bad publicity, the DAP and PKR are confident that the Pakatan Rakyat will thrive as all three members remain equally committed to their cause for a just and equitable Malaysia.
PKR and DAP today slammed arch rival Umno for trying to blow up the negative aspects of the PAS annual congress. But they also declined to defend their partner from the public outcry over some of its suggestions such as unity talks and the banning of an Islamic women’s NGO.
Last week, PAS had held a high-profile 55th muktamar that attracted immense interest.
Not only did the Islamic-based party manage to showcase its superb organisational skills, the glittering guest list comprising the cream of the diplomatic corp and corporate sector signalled its arrival and that of the Pakatan coalition.
However, despite a progressive speech from president Hadi Awang, the muktamar was marred when al PAS member called for an investigation and ban on Sisters-in-Islam, an NGO that has made substantial contribution in the fight for greater rights and equality for Muslim women.
Furthermore, an insistence by both Hadi and his deputy Nasharudin Mat Isa that PAS had right to hold “unity talks” with Umno too raised eyebrows. Not only did this spark concern that PAS might cross over but more importantly that a potential merger of the country’s two biggest Malay parties would undermine the rights of the non-Malays.
Said DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang: “Some of the speeches of PAS leaders and resolutions at the 55th PAS Muktamar like the focus on Umno-PAS unity talks and the call for the ban of Sisters-in-Islam have however an opposite effect, creating a crisis of confidence in the Pakatan Rakyat among members, supporters and well-wishers.”
“Umno Youth leader, Khairy Jamaluddin and others are also trying to press home the advantage of using the Umno-PAS unity talks to split Pakatan and undermine public confidence in Pakatan.”
Undoing the good that has been done
An electoral pact of three equal partners PKR, DAP and PAS, the Pakatan has made stunning progress, sweeping five of the country’s 13 states and more than 50 percent of the popular vote during the watershed 2008 general election.
Since then it has also won five of the past six by-elections, forcing Prime Minister Najib Razak’s unpopular Umno-BN coalition to move into the defensive.
All three partners have thrived, with their hard work showing unprecedented returns.
As PAS helped the PKR and DAP with its well-slicked election machinery, PKR and DAP helped put on a national face on the erstwhile rural-based party.
In particular, PAS benefited from the liberal stance of the PKR and DAP who promised a new Malaysia for all Malaysians, winning chunks of votes from non-Malays who would otherwise have shunned it.
Whatever the reasons for the tack taken at the muktamar, PAS may have in a stroke undone much of the benefit and hard work put in by its partners on its behalf.
“Trust is such a vital quality. Just look like at Prime Minister Najib, he has lost it and it is gone forever. For PAS now, it is almost back to square one, the Chinese and Indians will distrust it again. PAS strategists may argue so what? The non-Malays have no other choice. They have to vote Pakatan, otherwise it is BN, which they hate even more,” said a political analyst.
“But this is not a mature or well thought-out strategy. There are many ways to skin a cat and to win at elections. But it is never smart to turn off people like this. The perception that it is forsaking the Pakatan platform of non-racism will also be hard to forgive.”
In the end, it goes back to … what do Malaysians want?
However, despite being in the doghouse, Kit Siang and other Pakatan leaders like PKR strategic affairs director Tian Chua believe that with effort PAS can overcome what is largely a blaze of bad publicity.
Said Kit Siang: “This is a test of the wisdom and capability of DAP, PKR and PAS leaders to measure up to the expectations of the people as expressed in the March general election last year to advance the cause of Pakatan Rakyat.”
Said Tian: “If you attended the muktamar and heard what was said, you will realise that the party is definitely headed for reform and liberalisation. Almost all delegates wished for a modern PAS. None wanted the party to be seen as a religious extremist as it used to be. They are all proud of its achievements with the Pakatan.
“At the same time, many PAS members are still from the rural conservative. For example, the delegate who wanted to ban SIS, was he the majority view in PAS?
“Like all of us – PKR, DAP, Umno, MCA, MIC – PAS is also in a flux because Malaysians themselves are still finding their footing after changing from a one-party monopoly to a more liberal and democratic system.
“We should not let the bad cloud the good. We must ask ourselves do we really want to go back to the past system, like in Singapore, where only one party – Lee Kuan Yew’s PAP – rules.
“Do Malaysians want a return of a ham-fisted system where one man talks and the others listen?”
