The chickens are coming home to roost

But suddenly the driver started to act like he owns the car. It so happens he proposed that the state buys his own old car. 

Umar Mukhtar

An electoral pact formed to tactically defeat an adversary in an elections is merely that; an understanding to work together during the elections. It may form the basis of a coalition government if the pact is a success. But it needs a lot more. A lot more. Namely,  a written agreement on the various mechanisms to iron out the existing and forthcoming misunderstandings between the coalition partners. That is how it’s done in Germany where coalitions exist all the time. The agreements run up to thousands of pages!

But Pakatan Rakyat chose to ignore all that to avoid an early break-up of a partnership of strange bedfellows. Given, that the political philosophical differences may take time to iron out. So issues like Hudud and Malaysian Malaysia will remain thorns in the flesh for quite a while before the teething coalition will be of the same drift. But mechanisms of mutual cooperation must exist now. That is primarily the cause of the Selangor government crisis presently.

Fine, that the various state governments under Pakatan are allotted for the various partners to lead. But that is all. The three parties are supposed to be equal. Really? They are equal in Penang? Granted, priorities depended on precedence of electoral strength. It follows that when the electoral strength of each parties are about equal like in Selangor, the precedence of the parties are about equal too.

So it is to be expected that whilst Parti Keadilan Rakyat is given the lead here, it must be reminded that it should be aware of its electoral influence. It cannot present a decision to change the Menteri Besar that will affect it’s coalition partners, as a fait accompli and expect its partners to endorse an action to that effect. And consequently, his replacement candidate selection must be mutually agreed.

You do not just want to buy a Ferrari and expect your partners to agree! You meet them first to explain the need to change cars and explain the full truth about the old car and the merits of the proposed Ferrari for the common route you all intend to take together. That is a partnership of equals in the state, even though you are the car’s driver. It goes beyond being an internal party matter that is your exclusive right to conjure.

In the absence of a structured forum before the whole thing was made public, Pas had no choice but to throw a spanner in the works by alleging that the present Menteri Besar has done no wrong. It is folly of Pas leadership to bring the coalition to a brink of collapse over a man they do not fully know. But the point is why were they not told about his alleged indiscretions to warrant a change. Debate, argue, yell, thump tables!

Then comes the issue of the candidate for replacement. The similar fait accompli was presented. Pas has every right to sound out their disapproval for whatever reasons, after the issue was made public. After all, it is the Sultan who has the last say. They only asked that the Sultan be given a choice between two names. But suddenly the driver started to act like he owns the car. It so happens he proposed that the state buys his own old car. Perhaps for the sake of transparency, as promised to the electorate, greater scrutiny should be exercised. The electorate do not deserve a lemon to be shoved down their throats by a dicey used-car salesman who is planning a long trip.

The solution is very simple for those who choose to see. Pas will endorse the dispensing of the present Menteri Besar since he is not a member of Pakatan Rakyat which Pas belongs to. And in view of their relative influence in the state they will use their refusal to play ball as leverage unless PKR agrees to submit a second name. Can you blame Pas for doing this in the absence of a dispute-handling mechanism committed to by the coalition? They will drop their support of the present Menteri Besar at a drop of the hat! If the deal respects the equality of the partnership, that is. Ignore this with your stubbornness and PR will be destroyed. Unless you feel you created PR and others cannot use it their way. Scorched earth?

So somebody or his advisors need to be reminded that PR is not PKR and not everyone is Shahrizat. Marriages of convenience are always like that. There is a Malay saying that you can share the same pillow but you may have different dreams. Work at these mechanisms. Do not do so after you win Putrajaya. The Rakyat will be so hurt by your shenanigans. The present childish ploys by all sides are already an earful. It is unbecoming of a reformasi government, and Pakatan Rakyat must remain intact. Break-up over him? Tch, tch, tch!