Challenges ahead for Pakatan in Permatang Pasir
If UMNO succeeds in capturing the Pakatan constituency, especially one that is seen as a PAS fortress, a serious blow will be dealt upon Pakatan. The defeat will also likely become the catalyst for Pakatan's internal conflicts.
By FAN XIAOQI/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily
Pakatan Rakyat has had clean sweep in all by-elections in Peninsular Malaysia after last year's general elections. However, it remains to be seen whether the opposition pact would score again in the upcoming by-election in Permatang Pasir.
Although a victory or defeat in Permatang Pasir is not going to tip the state administration in any way, this election war is of particular interest to many an election watcher, especially in view of the fact that the three component parties that make up the pact have not been in good terms with one another in recent months.
This, coupled with the Kampung Buah Pala incident in Penang, the alcohol ban proposed by Selangor PAS and other negative developments, has clouded the prospect that voters are still loyal to Pakatan.
In other words, this by-election is more than just an UMNO-Pakatan duel, but an acid test on the integrity of the Pakatan administration.
It is not wrong to say that the three parties making up Pakatan were hurriedly put together after the general elections, and as such, it doesn't come as a surprise to anyone that problems would begin to emerge a year into the hasty "union."
UMNO seems to be well aware of this, and has been harnessing the tactic of alienation in a by-election which does not look favourable to the ruling coalition.
UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has said, if PAS wins in Permatang Pasir, chief minister Lim Guan should appoint the PAS assemblyman as a state Exco, failing which PAS should consider withdrawal from the pact.
Fortunately Guan Eng was fast in responding to Khairy's challenge, saying that Khairy as UMNO Youth chairman and MP should have quit BN for not being offered a post in the federal Cabinet based on his own reasoning.
Although Guan Eng has fought a good battle, to prevent such thing from clouding its outlook in Permatang asir, PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat stood up and clarified that his party would not pull out from Pakatan upon instigation.
If PAS wins big in the coming by-election, the various internal issues plaguing the opposition pact should be dissolved. PAS' recent razor-thin majority win in Manek Urai has prompted UMNO to think that voters are swinging back towards it, and start lashing out at the opposition pact.
If UMNO succeeds in capturing the Pakatan constituency, especially one that is seen as a PAS fortress, a serious blow will be dealt upon Pakatan. The defeat will also likely become the catalyst for Pakatan's internal conflicts.
As such, this by-election not only will put to test the public's faith in Pakatan, but also how solid the foundation of Pakatan's cooperation is.
