Pakatan Rakyat ceases to exist
Lim Guan Eng
Pakatan Rakyat was formed on 1st April 2008 as a joint response by Democratic Action Party (DAP), Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) to the deep yearning for political change by Malaysian voters following the political tsunami of the 12th General Election on 8th March 2008.
With the massive support from Malaysians, the Opposition won more than one-thirds of parliamentary seats and five state governments.
The leaders of DAP, PKR and PAS agreed to form Pakatan Rakyat with a set of shared principles in the hope of uniting all anti-UMNO/Barisan Nasional forces to bring forth a new era of politics and governance of integrity, accountability and democracy in a progressive Malaysia.
It was agreed then that decision making in Pakatan Rakyat would be based on consensus and mutual trust at the Leadership Council or Majlis Pimpinan.
At the first Pakatan Rakyat Convention in December 2009, the Common Policy Framework was presented and accepted by the three parties to be the basis of cooperation for the 3 parties in Pakatan Rakyat.
The Pakatan Rakyat coalition was not meant to be a coalition of convenience but one that is guided by ideas, principles and ideals for a new Malaysia.
Pakatan Rakyat presented a viable alternative to Barisan Nasional in the 13th General Election and received 52 percent of popular vote.
However, in several major incidents over the past year, including the Selangor Menteri Besar crisis, decisions agreed upon at Majlis Pimpinan was violated by PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, which resulted in near-paralysis of the coalition.
The near-paralysis of Pakatan Rakyat was exacerbated by Hadi’s willingness to forge a unity government with UMNO and his support for Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Razak, even after it was revealed that Lembaga Tabung Haji funds were used to purchase land from 1MDB at RM2,773 per square feet(PSF) at Tun Razak Exchange(TRX) which 1MDB had purchased only for RM64 psf. Neither BN nor Hadi had questioned why Lembaga Tabung Haji was not allowed to purchase from the Federal government TRX land at RM64 psf instead of buying through 1MDB at RM2,773 psf.
The breach of promise made personally by Hadi at the Pakatan Rakyat Majlis Pimpinan on 10th February to discuss the hudud laws proposed by PAS first with Pakatan Rakyat partners at Majlis Pimpinan before being tabled to the Kelantan State Assembly or a private motion by Hadi in Parliament further immobilised the entire Pakatan Rakyat Majlis Pimpinan.
This breach of promise by Hadi was followed by the momentous decision on 6th June 2015, when the PAS Muktamar, the general assembly and the highest authority of the party, accepted without debate a motion to sever ties with the DAP.
The DAP Central Executive Committee accepts the PAS Muktamar’s motion severing ties with DAP and effectively, that Pakatan Rakyat ceases to exist.
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.
The DAP will work with Parti Keadilan Rakyat and all other forces who aspire to see the end of UMNO/Barisan Nasional’s one-party rule to reshape and realign Malaysian politics with the aim of winning Putrajaya for the people.
The immediate effect on the Selangor state government will be DAP’s support for the leadership of Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali to reframe the state government with a new functioning coalition based on the PR Common Policy and the Selangor PR 2013 General Election manifesto that received an overwhelming mandate of more than 60% of the popular vote.
DAP will work towards a broad based and principled new coalition that shall emerge to fill the political vacuum that can rekindle hopes of change to realise our Malaysian dream for a better future for all.
