The Khalid saga will redefine Pakatan
No amount of resistance from the PAS top brass can stop his removal from happening. And when that happens, it will redefine how PAS and Pakatan operates, when it comes to decision-making for the coalition.
Onn Yeoh, That’s Where It’s At
I have no idea why Pakatan members from PKR and DAP (and quite a substantial number of PAS fellas in Selangor) are so against Khalid these days, beyond the usual reasons given. That he does not consult others, that he is not solving the water, seized Bibles and Kidex issues. But it there more to it? Usually in politics there is more than meets the eye.
Whatever the case, it’s hard to imagine that he can continue as MB for the full term. When your own party and much of the coalition that you belong to, are dead set against you, how do you continue? You can refuse to budge, as he is doing now, but can he continue this way for the next few years?
No doubt, he has the support of Hadi Awang and to a certain extent, Nik Aziz. But Mat Sabu doesn’t seem to be for him. Neither is the PAS representatives to the presidential council, which apparently approved of the plan to replace Khalid with Wan Azizah.
This case will force PAS to consider whether decisions made by its own members in the presidential council can be over-ridden by the president and spiritual adviser of the party. It will also force DAP and PKR to reassess its relationship with PAS, and whether they will give in or force their way through. The former is a recipe for disaster for Pakatan.
Let’s say Pakatan somehow manages to win the next general election (or some future ones), who is to say PAS won’t, after the fact, insist on hudud even though it’s not part of the manifesto. And who is to say PAS won’t also insist that the PM comes from its ranks. In fact, it’s very likely to do that if, along the way, it is shown that it can get get its way, all the time. Then, you will have a whole bunch of voters saying, “This isn’t what I signed up for when I voted Pakatan!”
You would have thought PAS learned its lesson when it lost Terengganu and Kedah. But no. PAS has shown time and again that it over-estimates its power and importance within the coalition.
It should be said there are progressive and intelligent folks in PAS who where it’s at. When non-Muslims vote for a PAS candidate, it’s not because they support PAS per se. It’s a vote for Pakatan. Not for PAS or hudud or an Islamic state.
Unfortunately, the PAS folks who understand that are in the minority. There are far too many delusional PAS leaders who believe a broad swathe of Malaysian voters are in support of those objectives. And that is why you see PAS often behaving as it does.
