An Open Letter to Anwar Ibrahim

FMT LETTER: From A Kajang voter, via e-mail

I have followed the Kajang Saga, and your part in it, with a heavy dose of mixed feelings. You have consistently made the point that your move is necessitated by the racist and religion-based politics of the BN opposite in Selangor which can, if not effectively countered, lead to the downfall of the PR government. Implicitly, you cast doubts on the political acumen of the current MB of Selangor. You imply that you, and you alone, can fortify the PR government against such BN political onslaughts. Whether this view is shared by DAP and PAS, or is merely a conclusion arrived at within PKR, we outsiders can only guess.

You can understand why we feel uneasy about this whole matter. Utmost in everyone’s mind, is why the waste of our money on such a matter at a time all of us are feeling the pinch. Is it not enough that successive BN governments squandered our national wealth away all these years, that you have to join them at this the worst possible time? RM2million, if indeed that is the figure, may not sound like a lot of money. But it is still an unnecessary expense in these times of growing hardship among us.

Perhaps you feel that the end justifies the means. But does it? Many injustices have happened precisely because someone rationalized that the ends justified the means.

What is that end that justify this Kajang Saga? Is it so clear cut that, without your personal presence in the Selangor Legislative Assembly, we are doomed to have BN takeover Selangor? I would think not. Perak was cited as an example of the shenanigan that BN can get up to. But surely Selangor PKR’s majority is so much more convincing that no fair-minded Sultans would allow a change of government to happen, especially since the continuing operation of the State will in no way be paralysed as Perak was at risk of being.

However, even assuming that Selangor is at real risk of being taken over by BN, and you, and only you alone can counter this, can you not provide your political wisdom to the Selangor government, and particularly to the MB, to beat back the onslaught? I cannot understand why it is necessary for you to become a member of the State Legislative Assembly to be able to use your political strength to combat BN. For example, the MB can quite easily appoint you to be the ‘general’ to defeat the toxic racial and religious politics played by BN, without you become a Selangor MP. After all, these racist and religion-based politics are a national concern, not just a Selangor concern.

I agree with you that Selangor is a much prized State politically and why you want to be part of it. But the question on my mind, and perhaps on many others, is why can’t you wait for some Selangor MP or other to resign or retire with valid reasons, and put your candidacy forward at that time to fight that by-election? Does it really matter that Kajang is between Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur? A Selangor MP is a Selangor MP, whether from Sungai Air Tawar or Kajang. At the very least, you will be fighting that by-election on the merit of your policies for the people rather than on your back foot, as they say in cricket.

I hope you don’t think I am a BN supporter. The fact is, I am a true blue PR supporter. But, in the face of what I see is happening, I think it is only fair that I voice my genuine concerns about the integrity of PKR. Remember, not only must Justice be done; it must be seen to be done. PR will continue to have my support. But, please, don’t push your luck!