Which direction to take?
The three component parties of Pakatan Rakyat is having different ideologies and it would be very difficult for them to reach a consensus. However, in terms of aiming to check and balance BN and break BN’s long term political monopoly, DAP, PAS and PKR are indeed heading towards the same direction.
By LIM MUN FAH/ Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily
Politics sometimes looks very complicated but it is fact very simple. And sometimes, it looks very simple but in fact, very complicated.
Pakatan Rakat is still waiting for the approval of its registration but the dispute on who should be the top leader has surfaced. The question can be very complicated but it can also be very simple.
Once it is registered, Pakatan Rakyat will have to choose a president. DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat and PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are all qualified for the position. The question is: Who is the most suitable candidate? Who will be accepted by the other two parties as the overlord of the three component parties?
The 8 March general elections has brought the two-line system to the country’s politics and Pakatan Rakyat rose as the second force that was able to contend with BN. However, Pakatan Rakyat, after all, was an informal political alliance and the component parties, namely DAP, PAS and PKR, decided to work together at that time based on political interests. Thus, inevitably, they had to face with contradictions and frictions when distributing political gains.
| “Thus, inevitably, they had to face with contradictions and frictions when distributing political gains.” |
It is very clear that Lim and Nik Aziz are now possessing their own power and enjoying rising prestige within their respective party. But it is very difficult for them to be accepted by the other party as the overlord of the alliance.
Anwar seems to be a more compromising candidate. But the party’s Supreme Council member Datuk Zaid Ibrahim sees Nik Aziz, instead of Anwar, as the best candidate.
Zaid’s is not having a strong party spirit and thus, he can be far-sighted and prioritise the collective interests. He hopes that Anwar can sacrifice himself while expecting Lim to show a politician’ s magnanimity to make Nik Aziz the spiritual leader for Pakatan Rakyat, just like Mahatma Gandhi of India.
The suggestion is full of ideals but it is very difficult to achieve.
Even if Lim really “shows a politician’s magnanimity” and accepts Nik Aziz as the overlord, DAP may not be able to accept an overlord from PAS based on the practical considerations of political interests.
As for the public, they are expecting the Opposition to keep growing and they hope that the two-line system is not a short-lived phenomenon. They wish the two-line system will be deepened and consolidated.
The three component parties of Pakatan Rakyat is having different ideologies and it would be very difficult for them to reach a consensus. However, in terms of aiming to check and balance BN and break BN’s long term political monopoly, DAP, PAS and PKR are indeed heading towards the same direction.
After experiencing ups and downs over the past 20 months, the three parties have come to another turning point in history. The people are waiting to see whether they will bow to the old system structure and compromise, or show their political wisdom by putting aside the minor differences so as to seek a common ground and bring the Opposition a new hope.
It is inevitable to have conciliation, compromise and concession in political reality. In fact, formal registration is just a formality. The more important thing is, whether they can set aside their differences and through a new political platform, build an institutionalised mechanism of corporation, as well as a more fair, reasonable, effective and transparent negotiation-cooperation mode?
