It is all about inflated egos
Raggie Jessy
Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim lashed out at certain leaders from within Selangor’s Pakatan Rakyat for their role in shredding the coalition apart at the seams. In a statement, the former Menteri Besar of Selangor singled out a very debauched group of politicians as being responsible for abusing the people’s trust, which he says is now beyond redemption.
According to Khalid, he had spent countless hours trying to appease this group of politicians at the expense of the rakyat’s rights and interests.
“Today, (the) state leaders’ obsession with excessive politics, which has caused rifts and now a real breakup within Pakatan Rakyat, is placing a lot more rakyat-centred issues on the back burner.”
Khalid was reacting to reports of a breakup from the viewpoint of DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who came straight from the shoulder as he sounded the death knell for Pakatan Rakyat while denouncing PAS for violating terms of agreements that were drawn by the coalition’s partners.
An editorial that surfaced in Free Malaysia Today (FMT) quoted the DAP leader as saying, “As Pakatan Rakyat was formed by the three parties based on consensus and bound by the Common Policy Framework, the PAS Muktamar’s motion effectively killed off Pakatan Rakyat. Pakatan Rakyat therefore ceases to exist.”
Khalid appeared to pin the blame squarely on several state leaders from Selangor for the debacle within Pakatan Rakyat. According to him, these leaders had vested energies in negotiating circumstances other than that mandated to them by the rakyat.
“To our great chagrin, excessive political manoeuvring and shenanigans have again taken priority over the wellbeing and welfare of Selangorians. Relinquishing the post of Menteri Besar, which I did sincerely for the benefits of the rakyat at large, could not subdue the greed and arrogance of a herd of politicians who all this while claim “reform, equality and justice” as their goals.”
“Pakatan Rakyat leaders, who like to consider themselves as the people’s champions, should lead by example by treating component parties and their leadership, political allies, supporters and sympathesizers with respect and dignity. Intervening in internal party issues should not be the norm for any coalition, what more with Pakatan Rakyat.”
“Greed, insensitivity and lack of magnaminity, all are ingredients for a deep distrust, non-coorporation and finally a fall out within Pakatan Rakyat. Sadly, in the end, the rakyat is the biggest loser.”
Khalid went on to denounce state leaders for reducing his resignation as Selangor Menteri Besar to an exercise in vain, given that a people’s trust had been abused beyond redemption. His outburst appeared to be an allusion to a very public display of patronization and greed by PKR de facto leader Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim who had once sought to tug the rug from under Khalid’s feet.
Following a court ruling which found Anwar guilty of sodomy, Anwar bludgeoned straight into the affairs of the state legislature and the Palace by more or less demanding for his wife to be anointed as Khalid’s successor. The title of Menteri Besar was subsequently conferred to Azmin Ali by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor, who in no uncertain terms expressed his displeasure at the extent of manoeuvrings that had taken place in what came to be known as the ‘Kajang move’.
