DAP’s most likely path in a Pakatan collapse
Pakatan de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is stonewalling questions on the pact’s decision with his “agree to disagree” line.
Hazlan Zakaria, The Ant Daily
As the main actor in the prelude to a possible Pakatan disintegration, the capitalist inclined once-socialist party of DAP will have to consider its choices if the hudud issue it is agitating really does build up into a Pakatan-shattering conundrum.
Hudud Islamic law, the Achilles’ heel of Pakatan, continues to bite them in the rear after the federal opposition pact tried to bury the issue under “consensus” without really laying the matter to rest the last time it came up.
Pakatan de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is stonewalling questions on the pact’s decision with his “agree to disagree” line.
Whatever the case with the issue percolated by DAP and Kelantan PAS going full steam ahead with its hudud plan, the matter is coming to a new head.
Out of all the Pakatan component parties, DAP has made its stand known and clearly stated that the implementation of Islamic law or the declaration of an Islamic state will only happen “over their dead bodies”.
In this, all state and the central leadership of the party seem to be in agreement, though Selangor DAP chief Tony Pua appears to be the one wielding the hammer against PAS, though perhaps that is his job as national party publicity chief.
None other suited but the one in that hot seat to be hatchet man perhaps.
And indeed DAP is the one and only Pakatan party which is stirring the crock of excrement so to speak with its active criticism of PAS for pursuing the hudud agenda and has said time and again it is prepared to strike out on its own if the Islamic party remains adamant. Unlike PAS itself and PKR, both of whom still seek a compromise.
But it would seem that as far as DAP is concerned, either Pakatan throws PAS out or the Chinese-led party will walk out on the pact.
Indeed DAP seems to have been sowing the seeds of its independence these last few months.
In either case, the DAP will face one of three consequences for its action.
Scenario number one is that DAP and PKR remain in Pakatan with PAS expelled. By far this is the best scenario as DAP will get rid of PAS and the hudud heartache but still have access to the Pakatan name and resources.
It may even have a more comfortable ride in Selangor as it can now take more from PKR as it will now be the Pakatan party with the most seats in the state assembly.
While it may still defer to PKR to helm the industrial state, it can demand much more than a second deputy speaker’s seat and indeed may very well have it with the departure of PAS representatives in the state exco and other politically appointed benefits.
Though it would be unsure if DAP would want to still work with PKR since it would no longer need Anwar or has to concede to anyone to balance out PAS and would perhaps rather not have to give in to anymore directives from Anwar’s party which had started the whole mess with the Kajang Move and other shenanigans.
Now, scenario two sees DAP going out of Pakatan while PAS stays behind to work with PKR.
In this possibility, DAP will lose out on benefits of being in power in Selangor but can still hold on to Penang.
DAP, however, can still come out tops as it takes steps to mitigate matters that may lead to the possibility of a Pakatan breakup.
I have said before that if Pakatan is a rock concert, DAP are the roadies and PR guys, while PAS is the security and audience while PKR brings the rock stars.
What would DAP, this bunch of roadies and PR guys, do after losing their security and crowd and the rock stars?
