PKR’s Wong wrong to praise PAS rebels

Hazlan Zakaria, The Rakyat Post

After their accusations against former Selangor MB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and sacking him for not following party orders, I don’t think that PKR has the moral standing to say much about PAS wanting to discipline it members who flouted party line.

Though it is important to note that I am not going to comment on accusations that they are lackeys bought by PKR or about other less flattering stuff, I am just looking at the fact that they went against party line.

Whatever the case, it is unsuitable for PKR Bukit Lanjan assemblyman Elizabeth Wong to praise the Selangor PAS elected representatives who went against the Islamic party’s directive not to directly support her party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as Selangor MB.

She was responding to attacks against PAS Hulu Klang representative Shaari Sungip and Morib assemblyman Hasnul Baharuddin in the Islamic party’s 60th muktamar last week.

As I have written earlier, consensus in Pakatan must mean all three parties agree to it, If PKR and DAP agree but PAS did not, that is not consensus. It should have been them agreeing to disagree, if one party (read PKR) is not too invested in it.

And as others have pointed out, the Kajang Move was initiated without consultation with Pakatan and thus it is not that surprising if other Pakatan parties have their own answers to the Selangor MB imbroglio.

I mean if PKR can act arbitrarily, so can other parties, right?

So it is somewhat forgiveable for PAS to have their own say in the matter if Pakatan is truly about consensus and respecting disagreements and not a party that just follow what one man or one party says.

And if party discipline is so important to PKR that it wants everyone to follow the party line and have the gall to ask dissenters to leave the party, then they should have respected PAS’ stand on those who shirk their party line.

As much the Selangor MB-ship is said to belong to PKR who can appoint anyone they like to it, the seats held by the two PAS assemblymen belong to PAS and the party has a right to determine where their vote and support lie.

After all we must not mistake Malaysia as a country where elected representatives vote on their conscience, we are still very much the place where the party line and party whip hold sway.

And PKR and Wong can accuse PAS president Hadi Awang of slandering their president but what about PKR slandering its own party’s then Selangor MB, with a roadshow even?

I mean to be fair, if the rakyat needs to know why Khalid can no longer be MB, then PAS also has a right to say why Wan Azizah cannot be his successor.

After all both seem to ply on reasons which to many seems a tad untenable to many.

And whatever Wong believes on how the PAS men were honourable with distinction far beyond their honorific of “Yang Berhormat”, she should do well to remember that in Malaysia YB also means “Yes boss” when it comes to voting and usage of their elected offices.

If PKR members must all kowtow and say “Yes boss” to its de facto leader, then PAS members should also say “Yes boss” to president Hadi Awang.