First MB saga, now deputy speaker crisis in Selangor

By MT Webmaster Last updated Dec 6, 2014

Selangor DAP chairman Tony Pua reportedly said that they deserve the seat after giving their full support for PKR when they faced PAS dissent over the PKR led and DAP supported coup against former PKR Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

Hazlan Zakaria, The Ant Daily

After the back biting, hair pulling and daggers in the back of the Selangor menteri besar saga, things may not be all quiet yet in the state as the contentious issue of a second deputy speaker post seems to have reared its ugly head.

Despite much hype over the need for consensus, DAP or its Selangor chapter at least, seems to have abandoned this for partisan behaviour, echoing the mosquito BN components it once criticised for playing the same support for post-game.

Indeed just as BN components sidle up to Umno for cabinet and official positions, it seems DAP is doing the same, when it sidle up to PKR on what is supposed to be a Pakatan matter during the Selangor MB crisis.

Loudly and clearly, the state DAP is asking for a second deputy speaker post to be created and handed over to the party, despite already being given the state speaker’s seat.

This after fellow Pakatan partner PAS was given the deputy speaker’s post. PKR holds the MB post as well as four exco seats while DAP and PAS have three each, while DAP member also sits on the state assembly speaker’s chair.

This Pua reportedly said was only right since they have been denied the extra exco seat supposedly promised to them in exchange for supporting PKR against PAS.

It should be noted that their support was for PKR, not for Pakatan Rakyat itself and that should be the exception rather than the rule and not a point to be bandied about as being their show of loyalty for the opposition coalition.

Pakatan is a consensus-based coalition of three parties while the anti-Khalid alliance was made up only of PKR and DAP, with PAS dissenting.

Similar to when PAS was pushing for hudud with tacit PKR support while DAP disagreeing. Strangely DAP was never penalised nor PAS rewarded for that point of time when Pakatan parties disagree.

DAP, however, was reported to continue to call for PAS’ head over the PKR triggered Selangor MB crisis. And now it seems they want to be rewarded for being loyal to PKR, the dominant Pakatan party.

If anything, it is a point to be embarrassed about when the internal problems of a single party is unashamedly allowed to threaten the coalition per se.

But more than that, to openly ask for positions in return for what is pure partisan support shows up as more BN-horse trading culture than anything else.

Gerakan may be hitting at DAP for this but maybe there is something about the pot calling the kettle black in the way how things are conducted in the BN.

Wasn’t Gerakan just awarded with a ministerial post for their contribution to BN in Teluk Intan?

So is Pakatan then another BN with a different name, with PKR playing the all powerful Umno that decides all and DAP the fawning sycophant component menggerakkan its limbs asking for posts and rewards?

If Pua’s reasoning of partisan support was to be considered as holding water, then the same thing should perhaps apply if the matter of hudud ever came up for some real discussion in Pakatan.

Then PKR and PAS should have their say and dissenting DAP punished by being asked to stand in the corner perhaps? Should PAS and PKR then have more posts and seats too?

Indeed as has been pointed out by DAP’s rival for PKR’s affection PAS, what is the use of having another deputy speaker for purely political reasons, where as it is not needed practically.

As some said, it would be a waste of taxpayer’s cash just to assuage the ego of a political party.

Creating the extra post would be ironic, considering that the state assembly just passed the motion to cut the pay of state officials, supposedly saving Selangor taxpayers millions, in a second-guess of a motion they themselves passed earlier.

Of course, the pay-hike then pay-cut saga was the result of inter-PKR rivalry, which in practice wasted not only valuable time but also money of the state and rakyat.

So, are they saving the money by the pay cuts only to pour it into an unneeded post just because the DAP wants it?

Que va Pakatan. You have promised and should be better than what you are turning out to be.