New strategy sans PAS
No doubt PAS is still in command of a large number of Malay votes and some Pakatan leaders are afraid of losing PAS and subsequently the chances of capturing Putrajaya. It is this that has made them hesitate all this while to have a showdown with PAS.
Lim Sue Goan, Sin Chew Daily
The focus of this week’s news is undeniably the tabling of hudud law amendment bill in the Kelantan state legislative assembly, which is poised to completely disenchant man supporters of Pakatan Rakyat.
Judging from the current situation, it is unlikely for PAS to defer the tabling of this bill on March 18 because the party has made a very high profile announcement that it will not change its course of action because of pressure from DAP.
As if that is not enough, the Kelantan sultan also expresses his stand to support the implementation of hudud law in the state.
It appears that PAS is indeed feeling very good with its religious roadmap. Menteri besar Ahmad Yaakob has said non-Muslims have shown the party their full support over the past 25 years, and he believes the hudud law issue will not drain the non-Muslim support for the party.
Party president Hadi Awang has also said party has in excess of one million members despite allegations of internal problems, and this shows PAS is still enjoying widespread support from the people.
The conservatives within PAS are pinning their hopes to retain the support of non-Muslims while winning over more Malay voters to pave way for Putrajaya come the next general elections. However, they have obviously overlooked the strong opposition from the Chinese, urban and middle voters towards the hudud law, and pushing through hudud law will only push the party back to its original foothold in the state of Kelantan.
As a matter of fact, in a latest survey, more than 80% of Kelantanese believe the state government should instead put more focus on post-flood reconstruction and not hudud law.
To DAP, the party should adopt a new strategy to re-energize the opposition front instead of counting on PAS to reverse its action.
Be it an amendment bill or a brand new bill, PAS has made itself a push factor for electoral votes thanks to its recalcitrance in implementing the hudud law. If the party goes one step further to table a private bill in the Parliament, the damage done to Pakatan will be immeasurable.
It will be too optimistic for DAP to fantasise on a total overhaul of party leadership after the June party elections. Judging from the current nomination situation, there is no way for the liberals to pose any serious threat on Hadi Awang. Even the relatively liberal vice president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has expressed his reluctance to run for the president’s post. Instead, he is eyeing the deputy presidency currently held by Mat Sabu.
It is imperative for PKR and DAP to overcome their psychological barrier and draw a clear line between them and PAS. As DAP acting president Tan Kok Wai has said, there might be a new Pakatan Rakyat.
No doubt PAS is still in command of a large number of Malay votes and some Pakatan leaders are afraid of losing PAS and subsequently the chances of capturing Putrajaya. It is this that has made them hesitate all this while to have a showdown with PAS.
While capturing the federal administration is of paramount importance, Pakatan must never do this at the expense of voters’ faith in them.
A New Pakatan could mean adopting PasMa in the place of PAS or a collaboration with other organisations such as the recently established Left Coalition Malaysia. In East Malaysia, Pakatan can try to engage the indigenous opposition parties in Sabah and Sarawak in a bid to offset the loss due to PAS’ departure.
There will be a better tomorrow for the New Pakatan because it will have younger and more capable leaders than BN following the departure of Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Hadi Awang.
The urgent task now facing DAP and PKR is to defuse the crisis that comes with the hudud law in a bid to win back public faith, or their seven-year effort will all go down the drain.
