3rd Force: between the concept and the actual
Malaysians on the whole have more affinity with actual political entities. They are more confident and comforted with a materialized organizational form like a political party. Something that has structure, policies and agenda. On the whole, they are less likely to be attracted to pure concepts such as for example the so called 3rd force in Malaysian politics?
Who or what is the 3rd force in Malaysian politics? Does it exist in materialized form with structure, policies and agendas? Or is the 3rd force more of the projection and extension of personal ideals and beliefs which are not unique anyway to the beholders. The same ideals and belief are better articulated and fought for by organized corporeal political parties.
I seriously doubt if RPK and his band of merry men, will make any impact on Malaysian politics. How does it exist? In a substantive corporeal form as a political party or just a 3rd force in concept form?
MCLM or the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement is at the moment a loose association of likeminded individuals moved by the concept of civil liberties and some understanding of what it means to be democratic. And at the moment, democratic means anything BUT Barisan Nasional or UMNO’s policies.
I am not trivializing the motivations of these well intentioned individuals. The issues raised and the concerns voiced are undoubtedly pertinent and very relevant. But perhaps more suited to discussions in the PJ civic center or maybe in the private rooms at Le Bodega or the terraces of private clubs in Kuala Lumpur. Or in the forums attended by starry eyed university students.
And where will the likely constituencies of the MCLM be? Probably more suited to urban constituencies in small pockets of socially conscious groupings such as NGO movements, liberal PTAs, something like that.
They will face formidable competition from established political groupings such as PR, which is something more solid than just some intellectualized concept.
Malaysians with a well-grounded political experience based on political parties that exist in form and substance are likely to stay away from a nebulous concept of a 3rd force. What are its agendas? Its plans? Other than a coalition of individuals with a pronounced disgruntled objection to UMNO and BN.
