Signs of things to come: DAP is the boss of Pakatan Harapan
Umar Mukhtar
A parliamentary vote of no-confidence is no small matter. DAP is right in that it should be tabled by the Opposition Leader herself and not some random MP that makes up the numbers. But it does make one wonder. If it is so important and involves cross-party collaboration, how come Pakatan Harapan has not met over it?
I guess DAP has not called for it yet. Until it does, nobody else is supposed to move. Meanwhile, DAP just plays to the gallery and milks the silly situation through the social media. After all, to propagate after losing the vote will be an anti-climax. But PKR did make a move and initiated an action. What upstart, some in DAP’s inner circle may say. Except that, being haphazardly led, PKR lost the forest for the trees. So a nondescript MP was asked to table the all-important vote. Surely it it was not his own idea!
How dare PKR take the lead. Top dog DAP must first set the tempo. Hence, the public reprimand. After the public dressing down by the DAP about playing marbles, a sheepish Opposition Leader then meekly said that she will comply, while the said MP with false bravado insisted that Lim Guan Eng is not his boss. He was understandably silent on whether LGE is his President’s boss.
Now the real tempo has inadvertently been set. The beat is – DAP is boss. Can you imagine PKR stepping on DAP’s toes? No Chinese votes! At least 15 PKR Parliamentary seats would be in jeopardy if that happens. Not to mention numerous state seats. PKR has no choice but to ‘kow-tim’.
Not satisfied with its setting of the opposition agenda, DAP then wants to set the tone of the opposition behaviour. So the Subang Jaya MP became the target. It seemed that in his best judgement he had agreed to some pressure from PKR supporters about some minor thing regarding the setting up of temporary stalls. DAP’s Tony Pua jumped at that as not appropriate decision-making behaviour. Followed by another dressing down about gangsters and what not.
It seems that in order to do the right thing, DAP must be consulted first. That’s the idea of these petty DAP protestations that are now emerging. DAP might not be bothered by mere internal party matters but Pakatan Harapan must move to the whims and fancies of the top dog, DAP. Kind of like UMNO leading Barisan Nasional with MCA, MIC and Gerakan led by the nose ring as mere chorus.
But UMNO represents the majority faction and DAP has only limited voter expansion, you would remark. That’s how much DAP has polished its skill in controlling desperadoes. Carrot and stick for these unfortunate few. Let them believe otherwise, but DAP is boss. Always.
That is not to say that it is all bad. Dishing out to them the regimentation that they are used to, like “Now, you listen to me!” may actually be welcomed. They may have gotten used to it and may have withdrawal symptoms without it.
