Is the Sun Setting for Pakatan Rakyat Selangor?
Complacency is a dangerous feeling of self-satisfaction or contentment that can blind one to imminent danger, trouble, or controversy. It appears that Pakatan Rakyat Selangor could be afflicted with this malaise, to their own detriment.
As far back as August 9 2009, PM Najib had already declared that he wants Selangor back in Barisan Nasional’s fold. Recent developments seem to indicate that PR Selangor did not take that declaration seriously.
In fact, PR Selangor has been plagued with a series of controversies which they handled poorly. Here are a few notable ones:
1. In May 2010, Wee left PKR to sit in Parliament as an independent, citing disappointment with the PKR-led state government in Selangor’s handling of the Dengkil sand mining scandal and what he called “little Napoleons and trendy leftists” taking control of the party.
2. On 16 July 2009, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) team investigating the abuse of constituency development funds raided the office of Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah in the State Secretariat building and seized a personal laptop belonging to his political secretary Teoh Beng Hock and a desktop computer which was state government property. Teoh, 30, was asked to follow the officers back to the Selangor MACC office. A tragedy occurred the next day when Teoh Beng Hock was found lying in a pool of blood on the fifth floor the next day at around 1.30pm.
3. The Star reported HERE on August 5th 2009 that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was trying to get a warrant to raid the office of Selangor executive councillor Rodziah Ismail after their officers were denied entry. The MACC had turned up at her office at the state secretariat building here on Wednesday afternoon as part of its investigation into the alleged abuse of constituency funds by certain elected representatives in the state.
4. Malaysiakini reported HERE that a team of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers raided the office of Selangor Exco Yaakob Sapari at the state secretariat in Shah Alam and seized several files. According to sources, a MACC report has been lodged against an aide, Hussein Ahmad, with regard to his alleged involvement in corruption over the sale of sand.
5. In August this year, there was the Ronnie Liu controversy which you can read over HERE.
6. Then we had the infamous PKR elections and the resignation of Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and the hoo-ha that followed which created a big dent in the morale of PR and public confidence in PKR.
7. A few days ago, there was the controversial state-wide ban on 1 Malaysia logos on billboards which PR leader Eli Wong said was legitimate, but clarified that it only applied to business advertisements.
Then yesterday, The Star reported that the Selangor Government has made a U-turn on its decision to ban the use of the 1Malaysia logo on all signboards and billboards in the state following a public backlash. After four days of holding firm that the logo had to be removed because it was a political statement, state executive councillor Ronnie Liu has announced a freeze on the ban, according to The Star.
8. When The Malaysian Insider reported HERE that a Merdeka Center mid-term survey of voters showed that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was likely to retain Selangor in an election, despite a marginal decline in Malay support, I knew that report foreshadowed bad tidings for PR Selangor and I am not wrong.
9. PKR announced today that they will consider disciplinary actions against rebel party leader N. Gobalakrishnan in January, when the party’s powerful political bureau convenes. Gobalakrishnan has been making headlines and you can read more about it HERE and HERE.
10. Today, it was announced HERE that the Selangor palace confirmed Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi as Selangor state secretary, even though a debate rages over his appointment. Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, who is private secretary to the Sultan of Selangor said Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has blessed the decision by the Public Services Department, to appoint Khusrin — the state Islamic Religious Department (Jais) director.
10. The Malaysian Insider reported HERE that Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin warned the Selangor government today of a possible repeat of Barisan Nasional (BN)’s takeover of Perak in the country’s wealthiest state with the appointment of Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi as the state secretary.
11. In his latest post titled “Still want to play, play?”, maverick blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin reminded readers of a post he had written more than 13 months ago HERE where he warned Pakatan Rakyat that their days are numbered in Selangor.
Personally, if it really does come to pass, Pakatan Rakyat should not blame anyone but themselves. Their poor public relations strategies, decisions and the way they have handled many issues have shown that they have not been up to the mark in governing as efficiently as they proclaim they would. No doubt BN has launched an onslaught but if they had pulled up their socks and made efforts to fortify their defenses, they would not be in such a rocky situation.
Pakatan Rakyat, especially PKR, has been resting on their laurels for far too long. Their inabilities to set their own house in order has been a key point in weakening public confidence to the extent that RPK has had to take steps to set up the MCLM. The rakyat CANNOT blindly support PR just because they want BN to be displaced. For crying out loud, give us reason to have faith and confidence in you and show us that you CAN govern.
Regardless of their complaints against BN, one thing is for sure – they HAVE done their homework, planned their strategies and are working their plans to the hilt.
