All Pakatan Rakyat leaders of PKR, DAP and PAS must exercise responsibility and discipline to strengthen public confidence in the credibility, cohesion, integrity and common sense of purpose of Pakatan Rakyat if PR is not to end up as a one-term wonder.
If a state Exco member of a Pakatan Rakyat state government can publicly demand the removal of another state exco member from another Pakatan Rakyat component party from his portfolio, and be supported by the state youth wing of that party to the extent of wanting to hold a public demonstration, then the same thing can be done by the other Pakatan Rakyat component parties.
If in a Pakatan Rakyat state government, a PAS Exco member can demand the removal of a DAP State Exco member which is supported by the state PAS youth calling for a public demonstration, then a DAP or PKR State Exco member could also demand the removal of a PAS State Exco member from his portfolio and be supported by the respective state youth wings together with threats of holding public demonstrations.
The result would be utter chaos and discredit for Pakatan Rakyat, whether at the state or national level and Pakatan Rakyat leaders and component parties will then become PR’s own biggest enemies and not those from Barisan Nasional.
It is imperative therefore that any unhappiness and dissatisfaction by any Pakatan Rakyat component party or leader must be raised and dealt with internally in the grouping.
Without going into the specific controversy in Selangor, the proposed blanket ban on the sale of alcohol in Muslim-majority areas in the state, there can be doubt that the latest ruckus in the Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor has caused nation-wide dismay among Pakatan Rakyat’s own supporters.
It is best that Pakatan Rakyat problems whether at the state or local level should be addressed and resolved at the respective levels through internal Pakatan Rakyat channels and mechanism, failing which, they will have to be addressed by the Pakatan Rakyat national leadership. The Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council will have no choice but to meet if this problem, for instance, cannot be resolved at the Selangor PR state level.