The Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak could not have a more disastrous end for his two-hour long speech for his first budget for 2010 in Parliament on Friday, as he said: “Our recent success in Bagan Pinang has sparked our zeal to embark on this journey of transformation to lift our beloved nation to greater heights.”
Najib’s last two sentences in his speech were virtually drowned in the shouts by Pakatan Rakyat MPs with their spontaneous chant of “Rasuah” – which was a dubious parliamentary record in the past five decades, not only for a maiden budget speech but also for any budget presentation by former Finance Ministers.
Najib had earlier failed to make any impression on MPs when he devoted two cursory paragraphs of his budget speech to “Combatting Corruption”, but which did not evince any political will on his part to break the back of the problem of rampant corruption in Malaysia.
When Najib compounded this failure with his reference to Barisan Nasional victory in Bagan Pinang by-election at the end of his budget speech and tried to bask in the glory of the by-election result, the customary sense of courtesy of PR MPs during such an occasion was strained and then broken that it resulted in Parliament being drowned in the chant of one word “Rasuah”!
This should be salutary reminder to Najib that there is nothing honourable or proud for Umno and BN about their victory in the Bagan Pinang by-election, as it was a major setback in the battle against corruption with the huge majority won by the Umno/BN candidate Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad.
Although the Bagan Pinang by-election was a victory of corruption against integrity, the Pakatan Rakyat component parties – PAS, PKR and DAP – cannot take the setback lightly and must not be in denial about PR weaknesses and faults as Isa’s landslide majority of 5,435 votes was completely unexpected though not his victory.
Pakatan Rakyat had been suffering a prolonged and unceasing bout of loss of public confidence in the past eight months because of the failures of Pakatan Rakyat leaders to exercise responsibility and discipline in their respective parties to convince the Malaysian electorate in its credibility, cohesion, integrity and common sense of purpose.
To restore public confidence in Pakatan Rakyat, PR component parties should seriously consider making a 10 or 20-year commitment to abide by the PR common principles and to impose discipline among their leaders to uphold and protect PR image, credibility and integrity.
[Speech (2) by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang at the opening of the DAP Negri Sembilan State Convention in Port Dickson on Sunday, 25th October 2009 at 10 am]
I guess…slogans and encouraging corruptions are two of his ideas..how to win elections.
Nice to hear Najib so proud of Bagan Pinang….won by one who is actually sacked by UMNO for 6 years…for corruptions..and reduced to 3..by Najib…confirming he supports corruptions and he can do anything he likes as UMNO elected PM….not elected by Malaysians…his usual UMNO all powerful law makers that breaks every lawful laws and stuff their UMNO BARU laws into Malaysians throats.
Those who voted for UMNO…need not go pray 5 times . Just pray to UMNO BARU for money.
If Najib is so powerful….he will not hesitate to call for a snap 13th GE.
By using money and race politics .. UMNO hopes to succeed again.
Najib is such a low class liar…..trying to make slogans to fool and win youngsters votes.
YB
Please allow me to digress from the topic.
PM Najib’s budget must rank as the worst ever in living memory!
The re-introduction of Real Property Gains Tax is a slap in the face for foreigners who pumped in FDI’s only to have the Govt U-turn and trap them. Propert counters listed on the KLSE will take a hit and this policy will come back to bite the nation in its ass!
Also, the petty tax on credit card holders and lower tax rate (15%) for those working in IRD in Johor is a complete negation of the much touted 1 Nation concept.
All this should lead us to conclude that the PM and his financial misadvisors have lost the plot! They are giving the impression that they are hiding the real economic picture and that is worrying for all of us.
Please grill the PM thoroughly in Parliament.
dpp
We are all of 1 race, the Human Race
donplaypuks – the Real Property Gains Tax is to soften a bit the intense speculation in the property market.
You’d recall at the onset of the Global Crisis, the first thing govt did was to press down interest deposit interest rate to lower lending rates in order to stimulate domestic consumption/demand especially in real estate/property, a pillar and spoke to which many other economic activities are attached. Can’t help when exports were flagging due to curbing of external demand for commodities etc due to crisis.
When interest rates lowered – and free and easy credit available – people try make money from speculating property without even seed capital based on 100% financing.
Knowing banks traditionally give 70-80% margin of finance buyer in complicity with seller and sometimes even with financier, jack up the purchase price by 20% ythan what was actually the real price to get 100% financing.
This was facilitated by no RPGT. Because with RPGT which seller will want to play ball to jack a price by 20% for which he had to pay RPGT for the gain but actually did not receive?
So partly reinstating RPGT is to cool the speculation a trifle bit and also to raise moneys which Govt does not exactly have a lot of in balancing the budget.
Don’t know about impact on Property counters listed on the KLSE, They are developers, taxed on their revenues – not by RPGT more relevant to sub-sales (after 1st purchase from developers).
Looking at things, its a Rat Race. And we are in a maze.
Jeffrey
Thanks for your input.
However, there’s not a shred of evidence that we are reeling from intense speculation in the property sector or that our banks are suffering from over-lending. In fact the situation is quite the opposite. Property companies are just coming out of the slow down induced by the USA led global economic crisis.
I heard from reliable sources that Petronas’ launch of its very high end condos in KLCC received a shockingly low response! Huge discounts and special packages offered by developers and banks in the last year (check out Sime UEP) suggests the property sector is not exactly galloping away.
Too, if the intention is to curb speculation, why retain the 5% tax after 5 years which is a whack on both local and foreign investors? You get taxed at 5% even if you hold a property for 10 or 20 years even though you have contributed to the nation in the form of stamp duty. How does that encourage genuine investment?
Once before, the Johor Govt flip flopped and screwed around with Singaporeans by imposing a $100K levy on their property investments in JB. The yes, no, yes, no policy saw JB propety prices slump and remain stagnant for over 5 years!
As to the effect on property counters on KLSE, developers and related Plc’s will be directly affected with reduction in forecast earnings and profits if we shoo away foreign investors to Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and elsewhere.
Investors have a right to expect consistency in Govt policies and fair treatment. Najib flip flopping about like a rank amateur will not help our economy! Gos save us from ‘trained economists!’
dpp
We are all of 1 race, the Human Race
YB, Those who supported PR wants to give it a shot for 5 years.
However, one of the component party had started to show their ugly side.
Please register PR as a coalition party, so that the public accepts readily, and not to allow individual component Party to claim as winner.
We will reject fanatic individuals, talking nonsense over very petty subject matters, like beer and what not.
Will Tok Guru Nik please take action! So are the other PR party leaders.
“To restore public confidence in Pakatan Rakyat, PR component parties should seriously consider making a 10 or 20-year commitment to abide by the PR common principles and to impose discipline among their leaders to uphold and protect PR image, credibility and integrity.” (YB Kit)
Agreed.
The first important principle is strong faith in monogamy be held by all Pakatan Rakyat’s component parties. Let’s use an analogy to describe this principle.
Pakatan Rakyat is like a man. The component parties like DAP, PKR, and PAS are the ladies who have chosen to get married to the man (Pakatan Rakyat). After the marriage, all Pakatan Rakyat’s component parties must serve Pakatan Rakyat dutifully and diligently as a wife. None of the component parties should have any idea or suggestion or the whimsical thought that it be married again to another man, the Barisan Nasional. To have such a lustful idea, flirting suggestion or whimsical thought of divorcing Pakatan Rakyat and getting married to Barisan Nasional is a sin of marital infidelity. Anybody who has commited the sin of marital infidelity shall be banished to hell! And therefore a call for the party EGM to expel such a infidel sinful person shall be permitted.
Sdr Lim, when Hong Kong reverted to China’s rule in 1997, they allowed Hong Kong fifty years of market economy, free from China’s direct control. So why did you ask for only 10 -20 years of commitment from all Pakatan Rakyat’s component parties. PR’s commitment to liberal secular democracy should be for the next 100 years if not forever. By the way, may I know what did you have in mind when you talk about PR having credibility, cohesion, integrity and common sense of purpose? It is too vague. PR could be cohesive, credible with a common purpose toward attaining a WRONG goal.
10 or 20-year is deemed sufficient compromise from PAS’s to defer its theocratic ambitions to garner interim Non Muslims’ support to enable PR to unite (in spite of disparate ideologies) to dislodge BN, after the 10-20 year period of which, with more Muslim Majorities due to higher birth rates and less proportionate non Muslims’ migration [coupled with PAS’s consolidation of power at the helm] it would be more realistic for PAS to re-assert and implement its ultimate agenda of establishing God’s state here.
You want public confidence in PR
Show us what PR had achieved since 308
Telling us negative things abt Umno B/BN is OK
But not the only way to gain public confidence
Ooops: “…less proportionate non Muslims’ in demographic terms due to migration…”
The common set of policy positions and principles of Pakatan Rakyat to which all component parties PKR, PAS & DAP subscribe are social justice where Malaysians of all races cultures and religions are supposed to have an equal place under the Malaysian Sun and , good governance based on transparency and accountability without corruption.
Now who will question that these are universally good policy positions and principles??
If they are acknowledged universally good policy positions and principles, who would question that they should prevail through all times??
When Pakatan Rakyat holds forth that these universally acknowledged good policy positions and principles can only be agreed by all the three component parties if they are subject to 10 to 20 year time period, the onus straightaway falls on Pakatan Rakyat to explain why is this so!
I don’t think you can rationally explain why without conceding that PAS treat its acceptance of these universally acknowledged good policy positions and principles as merely temporary and expedient means to facilitate the end of using PR to oust BN and thereafter reassert its agenda which they will never give up.
Did I say anything wrong here? Its like old Chinese saying – “After crossing the bridge (dislodging the BN), you remove the planks ir remove/downplay the universally acknowledged good policy positions and principles which help PAS to be dominant to be replaced by PAS’s ultimate policy position and principle to estalish the theocratic state)!
Its like incompatible characters coming together to say lets have a ‘trial marriage’ for 10 – 20 years and then we see what happens, review the situation, change the initial rules at that time if needs be, depending on who’s stronger/weaker then. Which political coalition in the world expresses such a lack of confidence in their own ideological compatability as to have such a conditional commitment to supposedly agreed common policy positions and principles based on a defined time frame? Its a terrible admission on your part.
fROM aINILNETTO.COM:
“The Bernama headline says it all: ‘Companies Under MOF Inc And Other Viable Agencies To Be Privatise’ (sic).
Why only the viable agencies? Is this going to be more of “privatisation of profits and socialisation of losses” – at the expense of the Malaysian public?”
SCARY INDEED!
I am sick and disgusted with najib’s doublespeak, empty rhetorics and waht seems to smack of draconian manoeuvres to plunder the nation’s resources further.
Najib is continually painting over termite-infested woodwork and corruption in the structures of government and society.
Allowing the body of Teoh to be exhumed by his parents..to be examined by the Thai expert..shows immediate trust when truths are spoken.
This permission shows how much Teoh’s family trust all the mumbo jumbo said or given to Teoh’s parents..by high officials or UMNO politicians..NERO!!
It shows…ordinary Malaysians are not easily fooled ..argurs well for the future of Malaysia.
I mean ZERO…to NERO style of governing…hahahahahahaha
//Why only the viable agencies? Is this going to be more of “privatisation of profits and socialisation of losses” – at the expense of the Malaysian public?”// (ENDANGERED HORNBILL)
Privatisation may mean floating the agencies’ shares in the stock exchange market, Bursar Malaysia. Only the agencies reported lucrative profits would be qualified to float their shares in the open market. The agencies which have always made big losses throughout a consecutive of several years would only be able to survive through the subsidy imbursement from the Ministry of Finance.
During Pak Lah rule as the Prime Minister, there was a proposal being tabled to the Ministry of Finance for floating of Felda to the Stock Exchange (Bursar Malaysia). However, Pak Lah rejected this proposal because he wanted to keep Felda at the sole discretion of Umnoputras without any intervention of market participants. Najib may consider floating Felda now since his budget will need hard cash for the actual implementation.
There are people in PAS who want to become Napoleon by pursuing cheap publicity stunts at the expense of putting PR in peril.
The time is ripe for Nik Aziz to weed out these people.
First of all PAS, PKR and DAP should be bold enough to identify the traitors (moles planted by UMNO/BN) out to destroy and scuttle their combined efforts.
They should be decisive and take action against all who do not toe the PR policies. Even if action means sacking the member whether he be a MP or a ADUN. It is better to take out the cancer cells before it spreads and destroys the whole body.
What Tok Guru proposes to do in PAS should be a wakeup call to PKR and DAP as well. Do not compromise or show mercy to any of the Zul, Ali Wee, etc.
Secondly what Pakatan Rakyat needs is to register it as a common platform of all its component parties so that it can act as a single entity based on unity of purpose and trust.
Thirdly it needs to come out with a common and acceptable manifesto (not just for elections) that should spell out withour any ambiguity its aspirations for the people and the country.
It should set out a roadmap how it is going to divest the Judiaciary from the shakles of the executive.
It should also plan what and how to get the PDRM, MACC, and other enforcement agencies such as Immigration and Customs to discharge the duties entrusted on them without fear or favour. There should be ZERO TOLERANCE for corruption, the corruptors and the corrupted.
With UMNO having a strangle hold on the media, PR should seriously think of ways and means of reaching out to the rural folks. As it is they are the backbone of UMNO/BN. Unless and until PR is able to reach out to these people it would be an enormous task to educate them to the evil and corrupt ways of the UMNOputras and their slaves in MCA, MIC, GERAKAN, PPP and MMSP.
As people aspiring for change most of us here look towards PR leaders to take the lead and help us transform Malaysia into a country we can all proudly call our country and home irregardless of which ethnic we belong.
Criticisms if constructive goes a long way to help the PR leadership to decide how help they can galvanize the component parties with differring ideals. I have just chanced upon this article which makes a good read:
http://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/4596/
What I posted earlier – that the common policy positions and principles of PR being accepted for limited time frame of 10-20 years is a kind of “bridge” for expedience of dislodging BN, afterwhich the planks be removed for PAS to freely reassert its agenda – is correct only if the 10-20 years is suggested by PAS’s side as the precondition for accepting PR’s common policy positions and principles.
What I stated is not correct if 10-20 years time frame is mooted by YB and the DAP or PR instead!
If 10-20 years time frame were mooted by the DAP’s side instead of PAS’s side, it suggests your/DAP’s own implicit acknowledgement and cognizance of the difficulty on PAS’s side to accept PR’s common policy positions and principles in toto on permanent basis – and that you/DAP take the position of a 10-20 year time frame as being more palatable to PAS, or at least the hardline conservative faction thereof to achieve discipline for the time being in order to “convince the Malaysian electorate in PR’s credibility, cohesion, integrity and common sense of purpose”, necessary for taking on BN in the next election at least.
This being the case, the view of the “bridge” being temproraily constructed for expedience of dislodging BN, afterwhich the planks be removed will more likely be taken by the hardliners of PAS to mean this: that the DAP recognises the irreconcilability of its and PR’s positions with that of PAS’s, and since PAS too cannot change its position, let the differences and divisive elements be deferred for 10-20 years for later resolution, so that now a common front may be forged to take on and dislodge the BN in the next election.
This is a pragmatic move/suggestion on your part.
However it seems to be fast overtaken/superseded by developments over at PAS’s front when PAS’s spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat (independently, I assume) asked for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) or muktamar to depose “problematic leaders”.
This has every indication of sparking a chain of events leading inevitably to a show down between Nik Aziz and PAS’s president Abdul Hadi Awang and an open contest between “Erdogan” faction which is more partial to Pakatan Rakyat led by Nik Aziz and the other more reactionary faction partial to Malay Unity talks with UMNO led by Hadi that may split asunder this party!
I don’t know whether those of PR supporters banking on PR being cohesive without intermittent intrusions of PAS’s theocratic initiatives from its hardliners will view this recent development of open confrontation within PAS as a positive development in direction of inclusivist politics and policies of PR or not – but certainly the BN’s side will view it with gleeful anticipation as presenting an opportunity to drive a further wedge into PR’s cohesiveness and unity.
It looks as if PR is in a difficult position and dilemma.
If Nik does not settle this issue once and for all with Hadi and other miscreants not toeing the coalition line, PR’s cohesiveness will always be subject to repeating strain by the intermittent theocratic initiatives of PAS’s hard liners.
However if Nik Aziz takes Hadi on, UMNO is on the side line like a vulture encircling above and awaiting to ravage on the carcasses after the fight between the two PAS’s titans : to welcome the entire PAS into the BN’s fold if Hadi wins, or to receive Hadi and followers if he and his faction otherwise lose.
Either way UMNO/BN stands to benefit.
Najib is hopelessly lost…and with him Malaysia will sink to the bottom….unless the PR can get its act together. Most importantly..Anwar has to be replaced….the confidence is in tatters…..
YB LKS,
I dont know how to say this as im not a politic person. but to wht i see if DAP<PKRUMNO get back the state. What NICK AZIZ do now is good for all the PAKATAN. so i wish you YB good health and do take care we all need you for the better MALAYSIA for all.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND DAP.
from
Ireland
correction.
YB LKS,
I dont know how to say this.Im not a politic person.But to what i see if DAP,PKR,PAS. did not go down to the people. Well i think u will lost all the 4 state which u have now for the next GE. PR need to get the acts together.Kick out those who make lots of trouble.What Nick Aziz doing now will be good for the Pas and PR. People are getting fed up with so much problem with the pas and dap.I do hope PAS be more open and work hand in hand with dap and pkr.time so so short. Najib might call for Ge any time so get ready. he is a useless PM for all MALAYSIAN.only care for the rich umno but not the poor people like us. May god bless you be strong and take good care of urself YB,We need you for our children children future.
God bless all of us.
Just about a week or two ago we would have expected MCA to collapse but as it turned out the attempt by the 3rd force to seize power forced the two main players to work together.
There is a group within PR who has been less than solid in their commitment to PR and UMNO is trying hard to exploit that weakness. While it is a fact that the differences within PR is causing a loss of confidence (I personally would not put it as “a crisis of confidence”) it is even more important for the PR leadership to tackle the weak link in the PR coalition.
Now that PAS’s top leader Nik Aziz has openly stated his unease with this group who seems intent on flirting with UMNO and they are working towards a less drastic means (without use of an EGM) of handling the problem, it would help if Nik Aziz’s PR colleague help him to convince the rebels within PAS that PR cause is a cause that is viable and worth fighting for.
Taking a hands off approach and saying that it is a PAS problem and that they have to tackle it themselves will not make it any easier for an old man who is sick and yet caring enough to want to straighten out the problem out of his conviction that PR is the hope for the future generations of Malaysia.
Bro Kit,
“PR common principles”? There is no PR!
Can you advice us when the DAP, PKR & PAS will form & register the “PR”? Or was it just talk?!
You are right, most of us loyal Opposition Voters are pretty fed-up with the in-fighting between the DAP, PKR & PAS. It’s time these parties sit down to business. Just look at the recent events in Sabah. We don’t even know if Zaid will get fed-up & leave the PKR now! Bro Kit, most of us have always respected & suportted you as we know you are a able & just man but there is a limit. We are completely disgusted with UMNO & BN but as there does not seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel so there are more & more capable & able Malaysians leaving our dear country every day.
Please don’t let your supporters down!
///it would help if Nik Aziz’s PR colleague help him to convince the rebels within PAS that PR cause is a cause that is viable and worth fighting for/// – lkt-56.
The worry is any help from Nik Aziz’s PR colleague, especially “secular” or “Kafir” DAP will be used by the rebels to shore up their own position within PAS against the “old man who is sick and yet caring enough to want to straighten out the problem out of his conviction that PR is the hope for the future generations of Malaysia.”
Nik Aziz sees it very clearly that even if PAS will be thrown into turmoil by open battle with the rebel faction – that only benefits immediately UMNO – over the longer term PR is fighting a losing battle if the rebels within PAS are not taken to task now and purged. I think he sees clearly that the two timing by other faction of one leg inside PR and the other leg engaged in euphemism of “Unity talk” with UMNO represents a fundamental betrayal of the meaning of political partnership and a kind of deceit that goes against the grain of the common principles of what PR stands for and sells to the people. So he has to bite the bullet and do now the necessary that is both unpleasant, taxing on his health and basically risky.
Politics is art of making the impossible possible, but in this case, there shall be no compromise. We cannot be like the MCA where three factions can come together just because big brother UMNO said so. We shall have to purge the mavericks, and those who don’t share the same dream – even if it is to take beyond GE13 to achieve this.
To me, PAS is the smaller issue as their base is only generally confined to Kelantan – the bigger problem is really PKR which represents a nationwide problem and which is in existence by virtue of the aspirations of so many middle-of-the-road voters .
There are people in PAS who want to become Napoleon by pursuing cheap publicity stunts at the expense of putting PR in peril.
The time is ripe for Nik Aziz to weed out these people. – Yhsiew
Right! Agreed!
And I think that Nik Aziz will be doing precisely that at the coming EGM.
Also, most, if not all the problems in PAS are fomented by UMNO, perhaps by planting Trojans in that party.
They’ll stop at nothing to split the PR because the rise in popularity of PR will mean the demise of UMNO/BN!
Against the backdrop of a power tussle in PAS, former premier Tun Dr Mahathir has chipped in his part, siding PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, by saying that PAS spiritual leader Datuk Seri Nik Abdul Aziz should himself step down, saying that the Kelantan mentri besar is doing more harm than good to the party by overstaying; that he (Nik Aziz) “is a stooge to PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and that “he (Nik Aziz) wants to get rid of Hadi because he is under Anwar and Hadi wants to try and co-operate with Umno” – The MalaysiaInsider Oct 26th report by Syed Jaymal Zahiid.
Uncle Kit, none of my comments that I made was published?! What is going on? If this is the case, I will not enter your site again.
[admin – WARNING! Vulgar language/nickname will not be tolerated.]
What charm has Zulkifli Nordin over Anwar that he is so shy to rebuke or discipline this turkey? Anwar is very eloquent in his speech and writing but is very lacking in the visibility of his actions. Until and unless Anwar starts to walk the talk, he will be perceived as a charlatan.
Now another problem has arisen in Sabah and Anwar is exhibiting his ineptness as a visionary leader. While the Pakatan is burning down, Anwar is too busy cultivating a different constituency overseas. What the heck is Anwar so enamoured with his upscale foreign clienteles that he has totally abandoned to nurture his fledging child at home? In the meantime there is quarelling, plotting and stabbing galore among his coalition partners and also within his own party and no actions were taken to steer the Pakatan into the right path.
If this situation still persists up to the end of 2009 and Anwar is still fiddling with his new passion then let Pakatan be buried and a new party without any racial baggage be formed sans Anwar.
Vsp in comment #32 raises a valid question – “What charm has Zulkifli Nordin over Anwar that he is so shy to rebuke or discipline this turkey?”
Isn’t he the same PKR Bandar Baru Kulim MP who led a group to stop the article 11 forum on conversion to Islam organised by Bar Council at the Bar Council auditorium and who is now pushing a private member Bill in Parliament to place Syariah law above the Federal Constitution?
Whatever Zulkifli Nordin advocates is inconsistent with PR common principles, many of our NGO’s postions and policies and definitely DAP’s principles.
So how does one uphold these principles when PR’s defacto leader Anwar does nothing to rebuke or discipline this PKR MP???
Does Anwar expect Nik Aziz to discipline those within PAS who act contrary to PR common principles when he himself does not do so within PKR?
There’s not only a brewing PAS’s problem of Nik Aziz versus Hadi that holds promise of blowing up.
Within PKR itself patronage politics ala UMNO/BN style simmers below the surface: there was an alleged earlier discord between Azmin Ali and Zaid Ibrahim causing latter to go on 6 month leave of absence.
Now we have brewing in Sabah another problem.
Sabah PKR unhappy with Anwar/Amin’s appointing Anwar’s loyalist Ahmad Thamrin Jaini as the new Sabah state chief over Keningau division chief Jeffrey Kitingan favoured by local Sabah division chiefs.
Instead of UMNO imploding it looks like PR’s 2 other component parties (PR & PAS) face prospects of imploding sooner!
I just can’t understand the rationale in Anwar Ibrahim’s appointment of Azmin Ali or Thamrin Jaini as the PKR chief for Sabah.
Why can’t he appoint a prominent Sabah politician such as Jeffrey Kitingan? Why is he trying to get a Malay Muslim from Peninsular Malaysia or a Sabahan such as Thamrin Jaini as the Sabah PKR chief? Doesn’t he understand that the local PKR chiefs want Jeffrey Kitingan as their chief?
If Anwar turns a blind eye and plays deaf and dumb to the wishes of the PKR in Sabah, he might as well bid adieu to taking over Sabah from the BN in the 13th GE.
Anwar Ibrahim seems to be still enamoured by the dictates of his days in UMNO/BN where patronage and cronyism played in the selection of candidates for political posts.
If Anwar Ibrahim cannot and will not kick out those vermins in PKR who are hell bent to sell it to UMNO, he might as well go back to the Mamak for forgiveness and plead to be the sidekick or the warlords in UMNO.
Anwar must realize that he can’t have the cake and eat it as well. The traitors in PKR must be rooted out. People like Zaid Ibrahim should be recognized, empowered and consulted to take the PKR from the doldrum of its own making.
Now is the time for Anwar, Lim Kit Siang and Tok Guru to purge the driftwood and the malignant cells from PR. PR should get rid off those elements who want to rub shoulders with the UMNO warlords under the pretext Malay unity and for the good of the religion. What about the other non-Malay and non-Muslim citizens?
Fellows like Hadi, Nasaruddin, Hassan Ali and Zulkifli from Kulim are fakes and hypocrites. They are in politics for the position, power and wealth. They would do anything to promote their self interest. They really do not care for the rakyat.
Has DAP and PKR ever considered forming a new party?
Or is that a silly question?
I know DAP and PAS are too far apart ideologically to embrace one another but what is there (their leaders’ egos notwithstanding) to stop DAP and PKR to join together?
A Pakatan Rakyat of a 2-party coalition (instead of 3) would reduce bickering, increase understanding and trust in the coalition, which is sadly lacking at present.
“Has DAP and PKR ever considered forming a new party?”
It doesn’t look like it.
“Or is that a silly question?”
I think it’s a very intelligent question, especially when I ask it!
The continued Holy Trinity in Pakatan Rakyat is a cause for concern in itself, to me. There’s some problem with Parti Sosialis Malaysia which means that PSM (even though their representatives won on a PKR ticket) “don’t belong” or “don’t fit” in PR. This is particularly curious, given DAP’s “International Solidarity” page on their own website:
http://dapmalaysia.org/newenglish/int_solidarity.htm
Which claims that DAP is in solidarity with Socialists everywhere, except the ones in Malaysia, obviously(?).
My personal fear is that principled politics – and Malaysia’s future along with it – is coming a poor second to grubby little empires. There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of respectable critical thinking going on in Pakatan Rakyat, or if there is, one wonders why they would keep their intellectual activity a secret – perhaps they are afraid BN will ape them?
The Pakatan Rakyat, as far as I can tell, was a “gentlemen’s agreement” to field only one candidate from the 3 parties. The pact persists in the states where PR are now the government of the day, but has never been formalised. Besides being under pressure to ‘look like a government in waiting’, only PAS was allowed to campaign in Bagan Pinang recently when the EC realised that the non-existence of PR would be a good excuse to annoy DAP and PKR by banning them from the contest area.
DAP and PKR don’t need Pakatan Rakyat to campaign for PAS, their members can (I assume, have they sorted out the discriminatory membership policy yet?) join PAS. How expensive can a tee-shirt and a yearly newsletter be? The one thing they really can’t do is promote Pakatan Rakyat – because it doesn’t really exist. But then, they were never going to do that anyway, because there’s no promotional material available for the non-existent coalition. All the campaign materials I’ve seen have 1 to 3 of the individual parties’ logos on.
I think some of the younger, less controversial members of the PR parties, and perhaps motivated individuals from other walks of public life should just go ahead and register a new political party as a dedicated vehicle for the next general elections. Rather than trying to force 3 cumbersome old political parties into one mould, they should first thrash out a party constitution (or just copy^H^H^H^Hrefer to the SABM one) and invite DAP, PAS, and PKR members to join on an individual basis, and enforce a strict party line based on the new constitution. I assume there’s no problem with being a member of more than one political party – is there?
The other alternative would (obviously, and also obviously not) be to have a separate 4th party in Pakatan Rakyat, and conduct straw polls before local elections to see if there’s sufficient interest in the new party to field one of their candidates in place of a candidate (it could even be the same person) from one of the older parties. That doesn’t seem to be an option, given the PSM problem. It could be made less of a ‘threat’ to little emperors by making it a ‘convenience’ party (don’t tell anyone, this is strictly between me and you) to permit members of all 3 parties to campaign for each other in elections under the new banner, while apparently not subsuming them.
I don’t think a formal coalition to compete with that of BN is the only option. There seems to be an effort to compete with BN by being more like BN with every passing day. I’m not convinced that’s what people want to vote for.