Is the divorce of PKR, PAS and DAP looming?
In East Malaysia, the PKR and DAP alliance have completely cut ties with PAS. In West Malaysia, the same claims are made but thin strands are still attached between them, a relationship even they cannot understand and explain.
Tajuddin Rosli
The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) political coalition was formed on 1st April 2008 consisting of PKR, DAP and PAS, having previously formed the Barisan Alternatif in the 10th general election. Working independently, PKR, PAS and DAP knew it would be a mammoth task to uproot BarisanNasional (BN). Hence, the mutual marriage between the 3 parties.
Different Ideologies
Dissecting further, the coalition spelled trouble from day 1. All three parties have completely different objectives and ideologies. PAS has only been interested in forming an Islamic country. DAP’s vision is to establish a peaceful and prosperous social democracy to unite disparate ethnic groups while PKR was formed and continue to only fight for Anwar Ibrahim and his family. There is no way they are in sync in any way.
Persistent Infighting
On numerous occasions, the nation witnessed hair pulling between the three parties of Pakatan. Most recent was the hudud debacle. Despite DAP and PKR consistently expressing their displeasure towards the hudud law, PAS went ahead with their long-term vision. Top office bearers of DAP and PKR openly criticised the Islamic law implementation and that irritated PAS like never before. Internal fights commenced and dirty linen was washed in public.
In East Malaysia, the PKR and DAP alliance have completely cut ties with PAS. In West Malaysia, the same claims are made but thin strands are still attached between them, a relationship even they cannot understand and explain.
Ugly faces in Permatang Pauh
The infighting has escalated several notches in Permatang Pauh in the wake of the by-election. Permatang Pauh PAS youth initially called for a boycott to Wan Azizah’s candidacy unless she apologises and retracts her statements against hudud.
The dual personality Wan Azizah did so behind closed doors to calm the nerves of PAS. While everything seemed temporarily controlled, PAS members led by Bagan division deputy head held a protest in front of the Kampung Pertama main mosque on Friday against PKR and DAP. Banners were held lambasting DAP as rude and labelling PKR un-Islamic. PKR’s deputy youth chief immediately responded querying the identity of the protestors and claimed they are not PAS members. His defence is appalling and disgraceful because both the Bagan Division deputy head, Md Yusof Ghazali, and the division’s information chief, Azmi Jaafar, gave interviews to the media present citing the protest as a warning to Wan Azizah and PKR.
Hudud in Rompin and PermatangPauh
PKR secretary-general Mohd Rafizi Ramli has been reported in news portals saying it is not relevant to raise hudud issues at campaigns for the Permatang Pauh and Rompin by-elections. Rafizi should look back at his own coalition because nobody is harping on the hudud issue as hard as PAS themselves. PAS deputy head Datuk Ahmad Yakob, who is also the MB of Kelantan, has said PAS intends to promote Islamic law during the campaigning in the two by-elections and their desire is not opposed by both PKR and DAP. Who is speaking the truth now, Rafizi or Yakob?
With their continuous disagreement and lack of consensus, how are they going to govern a country when they are unable to decide on a common objective? The only picture I see is the Pakatan coalition wants to govern the country at any costs even if it occurs at the expense of the nation being in complete disarray between religious and common civil law.
