PR Breaking Up?

After the 308 political tsunami, there was euphoria and optimism that PR is a reliable alternative to BN authority.

Earlier, I have written in the blog that we should be more careful about the future direction of the PR coalition. While facing BN in the General Election, they have the common agenda that is to beat BN and win. After the General Election, the more difficult task will be:

1) Governing the state

2) Sharing of power

One of the reasons for the fall of PR state government in Perak is the minority represented by the MB PAS trying to exercise control over the majority of DAP. Hence, the outburst of Karpal Singh against Anwar and against PAS is to be anticipated.

Obviously, when Karpal attacks his own party and colleague, Kit Siang and Guan Eng, then obviously people may think his personal agenda overwrites his party agenda.

In any of the BN component party, Karpal Singh’s action will invite a disciplinary action. However, in the PR coalition, which is a rather loose arrangement and not formalized, I wonder who can enforce that its component party toe the party line.

This will be another acid test of the level of cooperation and confidence that they have among themselves. No way can Karpal say that this is his personal view when he’s the chairman of DAP.

The BN’s coalition is not a perfect coalition. It has a lot of defect and weaknesses that needs to be improved but at least it served the need of the nation for the last 52 years.

Obviously, there is a need to redefine the role of component party and how UMNO dominance can be reduced so that the cooperation becomes equitable and fair.

Meanwhile, Malaysia will be subjected to more politicking, which is rather unfortunate in viewing of the economic crisis that we are facing.

Now we are suddenly confronted by 2 by-elections, the Bukit Gantang Parliamentary seat in Perak and Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah.

After all the confusion in political arena recently, BN must now work harder to win the hearts of rakyat because if not, BN may be on the other side of the table after the next General Election.

However, the PR is not the best alternative. A lot of PKR members are splitters group from UMNO or DAP.

Indians and the Chinese representation are still minimal in PR. We cannot escape from racial politics in Malaysia.

308政治海啸以后，人们兴奋和乐观地以为，人民联盟（民联）是国阵以外，另一个更可靠的选择。

早前，我在部落格里写道：人们要更谨慎看待对民联未来的方向。在全国大选，民联成员党有共同的议程，那就是击败国阵夺得胜利。大选结束后，会有更多艰难任务等待他们：治理全州 以及职权配置。

少数统领多数，是导致霹雳民联州政府跨台的其中一个原因。霹雳拥有最多行动党议员，但却由议员人数最少的回教党出任州务大臣。所以，加巴星对安华和回教党开炮是预料中事。

显然，民主行动党全国主席加巴星抨击同僚林吉祥和冠英的做法，皆被人们视为个人议程甚于党议程。

若发生在国阵任何一个成员党，加巴星此举必将受到内部纪律处分。然而，对民联这个松散既非正规的政治联盟，该由谁执行规章以使各成员党效忠盟体？

这是对民联成员党之间合作和信任水平的严峻考验。加巴星身为行动党主席，所发表的谈话绝不仅于“纯属个人意见”而已。

当然，国阵也非完美的政治联盟。它有许多缺点和不足之处，需要加以改善。但至少它在过去52年来的服务都获得人民接受。

明显的，国阵必须对各成员党的角色进行重新定位，并削减巫统的强势作风，以达致更公平和公正的合作。

与此同时，预计我国将出现更多的政治拉拢动作。在国家面对经济衰退之际，这种情况的发生实属不幸。

如今，我们突然将面对霹雳州武吉干当区，以及吉打州武吉士南卯区的两场补选。

经历这场混乱的政局以后，国阵必须加倍努力赢回选民的心。否则，国阵在下届普选后很可能变成反对党了。

然而，民联也并非最佳的选择，因为多数的公正党党员，都是来自巫统或民主行动党的决裂分子。

此外，民联里的华裔和印裔代表仍然不多。在马来西亚，我们始终离不开种族政治。