by Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysiakini
Nov 15, 10
Last July, the Friends of Pakatan Rakyat (FoPR) was officially launched in London to great acclaim by Zaid Ibrahim, who had specially flown into England, with his DAP and PAS colleagues.
For Pakatan Rakyat (PR) supporters worldwide, it was a new beginning. However, four months later, Zaid dropped his bombshell by withdrawing from the PKR deputy presidency elections and openly criticising PKR’s party leaders.
Whilst many are angry at Zaid’s (right) betrayal, FoPR’s silence about this important development is damning. Has FoPR lost its focus or is it just momentarily stunned? Where is the rallying cry at a crucial time like this?
The FoPR probably chose July 4 for its launch, presumably because of its significance – it is synonymous with the United States’ Independence Day. Even the venue was important – Conway Hall in Holborn is renowned as a hub for free speech and progressive thought.
Soon after its launch, the FoPR movement was being duplicated throughout Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. In east Malaysia, FoPR helped create awareness, with its network of support and community services.
Harnessing global strength
FoPR’s objective was to harness the global strength of highly qualified Malaysians working and living abroad, to tap into their expertise and financial strength in preparedness of the up-coming general election (GE-13).
When contacted, FoPR supporters in UK, although shocked by Zaid’s actions, made the following comments about PKR’s crisis.
Q: Will Zaid’s actions affect FoPR in UK?
“Although we are not clued up about the internal politics, Keadilan is in crisis and we are waiting to see how the party can regroup itself after the elections. They need not be written off, now.”
“The timing of the withdrawal will have an impact on public confidence. It’s a shame the various parties could not work out their differences and come to a common understanding of how best to move forward. The nature of politics is that things are often very fluid and you come to expect the unexpected – life goes on.”
“Parties do not disintegrate or fall apart just because of the change in one person’s circumstances.”
“Malaysia’s domination by one political party for 52 years means a strong opposition coalition will not be built overnight. For all the faults and weaknesses of the opposition, it does not wield the ISA axe, arrest students observing the election process, allow ministers to spend RM1.8 million at Disneyland or arrest cartoonists for political satire.”
“Umno has systematically immobilised civil society by stripping the rakyat of their basic civil liberties, freedoms and rights. We need to make a stand and reclaim those basic rights for a more open, democratic and just society. A stronger and more accountable opposition with the ability to run the country, means we each need to pitch in and do our part, stop complaining, get involved and take a real interest in the future of our nation.”
Q: Did Zaid’s allegations about irregularities in the voting process have a basis of truth?
“The system is imperfect. Perhaps the right mechanisms and safety nets were not in place to deal with the logistical complications of running this sort of party election. Issues have been overplayed by certain quarters in the media.”
“We must conduct a proper investigation before jumping to conclusions.”
Q: Were Zaid’s allegations dealt with properly and satisfactorily?
“There has been a lot of sensationalism and hype in the media. We need to refocus and keep our eye on the ball.”
Q: How much stronger or weaker is PR and/or FoPR without Zaid?
“I admit it’s a shame – Zaid seemed to have a lot to offer. He could have contributed significantly to the opposition coalition. We must not be swayed by any one particular personality.”
“A lot needs to be improved in PR but it is not just about PR – there are also stalwart component members – DAP and PAS – which have stood the test of time and been working towards a credible opposition and two-party system for over 30 years.”
Q: Zaid was wooed at the official launch of FoPR and today, it is not just Zaid who is despondent, but PR supporters too. So what happens now, for PR and FoPR?
“That’s life and that’s politics. What happens next? We move on.”
“PR needs to reflect on the recent election initiative, how the public relations were handled and the losses in Galas and Batu Sapi.”
“We are here to campaign for a better Malaysia – not a Malaysia where apartheid type policies and scare tactics paralyse society, but a Malaysia where fundamental civil liberties and the rule of law are upheld, democracy thrives, and social justice and equality are not just pipe-dreams.”
“FoPR needs to keep being a ‘friend’. True friends offer constructive criticism, to improve things and forge a better way forward. But more importantly, true friends also take action by providing the practical support and ideas to move forward.”
Where’s the official voice of FoPR?
Thus, if the July launch of FoPR was the largest gathering of overseas Malaysians, so in the interests of the millions who still cling to the hope of a better Malaysia, where is the official voice of the FoPR to perpetuate the dream?
Although the FoPR has not been inundated with a barrage of questions from the media or overseas Malaysians, it must realise that when PR’s image is under attack at home, FoPR must rally the overseas supporters and take control of the situation, respond to various stinging criticisms and thus protect PR’s reputation.
FoPR cannot only be vocal when times are good, like at its official launch or when publicising the talks by Malaysian politicians in cities outside Malaysia. It is important that at these crucial ‘low’ points, FoPR reaches out to say that despite setbacks, the struggle continues.
This crisis has come at a crucial time because of the impending GE-13. Instead of a united front, PR has been caught with its pants down.
What FoPR needs to do is to continue to inspire both the politicians of PR and its supporters, that the march to Putrajaya is still on. A statement from FoPR would help clear the waters.
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In ‘real-speak’, this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.
The sour episode of Zaid quitting PKR could have been avoided if Zaid would put the party goal above personal ambitions. Unfortunately, the sole aim of many who join a political party is to get some benefits out of the party rather than contribute to the party by offering their service, skill or resources to build up the party.
Ca— car— caramba….. TIME Magazine’s man of the year
http://dinmerican.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/najib-altantuya.jpg
He is trying achieving his vision fairness and Malaysian Malaysia.
Those elected will not be able work with him to achieve his vision.
So why waste time.
“Whilst many are angry at Zaid’s (right) betrayal, FoPR’s silence about this important development is damning. Has FoPR lost its focus or is it just momentarily stunned?”- Mariam Mokhtar
FoPR’s momentary silence or inaction is perfectly understandable. It is taking measure and stock of the situation. It is waiting for more information to surface and verified before it takes the next course of decision. It is a right thing to do.
Reason: FoPR’s main objective is to galvanise support of all Malaysians, especially those overseas, who share the vision of a better Malaysia, the initial step of which is the support of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition (“PR”) as a viable alternative to both displace and replace the moribund Barisan Nasional (“BN”)’s administration.
However if FoPR’s support of PR’s Cause is ultimately for a better Malaysia it does not necessarily mean FoPR or RPK have to support Anwar’s PKR leadership if they deem it short and inimical to the wider PR’s cause or better Malaysia.
As far as FoPR is concerned the jury is still out as regards the Zaid vs Anwar/Azmin’s dispute as to which side is right or wrong.
Right now, at least one of FoPR’s leading leader and icon – RPK – is uncomfortable and disillusioned with Anwar Ibrahim (“Anwar”)’s leadership of PKR, and by extension PR.
If one reads recent MalaysiaToday’s articles on PKR’s voting process and RPK’s of the “3rd Force”, it is clear that RPK – the spokesmen for civil society, blogging and NGO’s activists – clearly has grave misgivings about Anwar’s credentials of leadership to take PR and the country to the higher ground in rid of BN!
Even before Zaid’s open falling out with Anwar, RPK had in last October 2nd criticized Anwar’s and PKR’s leadership. RPK said that PKR and by extension have to detach themselves from Anwar’s leadership. Zaid’s open falling out is in the same direction.
As to the all important question of whether RPK’s or Zaid’s expectations of Anwar are reasonable or otherwise, this needs later and separate treatment.
Suffice to say from day one, RPK has already advised Zaid not to become a politician in PKR.
For a politician makes and generally have to make compromises to principles based on the imperatives to garner votes and win elections. They are distracted by the ambition to win seats, positions and power. They are not entirely committed to a “Better Malaysia” based just on strict principles except to the extent that campaigning under it for change, bending the principles when expedient, could help get votes and defeat an increasingly unpopular but yet powerful incumbent rival. Besides politicians are bound by discipline and expected loyalty of its officials and members under the whip of party discipline.
RPK like other outspoken members of civil society, blogging and NGO’s activists
May support but do not choose to be politicians in a political party. They are not so bound by party rules and norms or political expediency. They can speak “neutral” and “hentam” any side which is considered by their words and actions as undemocratic or undermining the longer term cause of Better Malaysia” which surely is not limited to mean the unswerving cause of One Man or his side kick to be the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Anwar’s failings have initially been factored in and ignored/discounted because his martyr’s status in Sodomy I, his charismatic oratory and chameleon like ability to talk differently to different audiences made him the natural leader to weld together ideologically incompatible political parties like DAP & PAS and the various disparate NGOs, Blogging and Civil Society groups united against the common enemy, BN – but this is up to a certain point – the present – beyond which Anwar’s failures are becoming unacceptable and seen, on balance, to be more an obstacle and impediment than strength to the wider PR’s Cause of defeating BN and bringing about a “Better Malaysia”.
If Zaid forms another party and FoPR and civil society’s blogging and NGO’s activists led by RPK support it, it will signify a formal break between this group and Anwar and his cronies in PKR.
This is a weighty decision – not to be taken lightly – because it may, though not necessarily, trigger 3 cornered fights as that which occurred in Batu Sapi that generally would favour the BN. However the “break” from Anwar is a step that may be necessary in the long run to advance PR’s cause of ultimately securing a “Better Malaysia”, if Anwar’s failings are (assuming) considered too intractable or irredeemable, his hold on PKR, at the same time unbreakable and his taking PR to Putrajaya, even if by the remotest chance coming true, will not sustain or bring real change!
That is why FoPR is silent. It is abiding its time, waiting for more detailed analysis and verification of PKR’s alleged abuses of voting process and decision of Zaid, whether he will form a new party as “3rd Force” and who will support this new party – not for victory in the coming 13th GE (which I don’t think PR can make it now) but perhaps the next or the next after next.
Ha, ha, ha, r we expecting BFF (“Best Friend Forever”) in politics?
In politics, there are “no permanent friends n no permanent enemies. Only permanent interests.”
Parties can start singing: Na na na na, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye “whatever: can be Zaid, Anwar, RPK, PKR, or PR”
Looks like M’sia is not ready 4 a 2-party system n will remain under d yoke of UmnoB
RPK told Zaid, long time ago whilst was still in UMNO not to join PKR but to lead the ‘3rd Force’. Now that Zaid has fallen out openly with Anwar, RPK could say “I told you so” (Ref Malaysia Today 30th Sept “Don’t you hate it when someone says: “I told you so!’”). HINDRAF has come out in support of the idea. But what exactly is the 3rd Force? I believe its RPK’s idea. RPK’s own description of it – ‘a balance between BN and PR’ – is itself not that accurate because what he means is that the 3rd Force is a deviation from both:
(a) the kind of racial patronage politics that BN practises;
(b) the kind of politics that PR practises as dictated by its 2 Malay dominant parties ie PKR and PAS – PKR because although its top leaders espouse “New Politics”, they are UMNO’s clones, and PAS for obvious reasons of theocratic agenda.
In other words, the kind of politics the 3rd Force advocates is the same as what PR as a group publicly espouses – proper accountability, transparency, democracy based on truth and consistency – but which, according to RPK, is not practised by PKR because of Anwar’s leadership failings or whatever other of his character flaws or baggage (that RPK perceives is the problem but does not say out publicly) but which PKR cannot practise in part due to Anwar’s protection of his own people at PKR’s helm and in part the need to accommodate PAS.
In short, the 3rd Force is the kind of idealistic platform for the “Betterment of Malaysia” that non politician-idealists like RPK, civil society, blogging and NGO’s activists can give full support because its overarching agenda is that of being true to principles rather than political expedience of saying one thing and doing another! He believes (rightly or wrongly) that such a 3rd Force will attract not only intellectuals from Civil Society, Blogging and NGO segments but also the disgruntled in Sabah and Sarawak, the natives of Sabah and Sarawak as well Orang Asli here and even dissidents from PKR (like Zaid) and UMNO (like Ku Li), all composing a sincere new bloc of political representation, more honest than the supposed humbugs of PKR and theologians of PAS! He believes that such a 3rd Force will secure in longer run the confidence of Mainstream Malaysia, which is what the country needs.
Interestingly RPK did not mention DAP because DAP’s politics is the nearest thing next to the 3rd Force.
This is what RPK said (in his own words) – “Zaid was skeptical about the idea (“3rd Force”). He said that a lot of time and money would be required to get a new party established. The short cut would be to latch on to an existing party. We told him we did not like that idea and told Zaid that if the 3rd Force still needed a political party platform, fine, then join DAP and bring a group of Malay professionals, civil society movement and NGO activists, Bloggers, and so on, with you into DAP — maybe a core group of 30 or so people not yet committed to any political party.”
“Why DAP? Why not PKR?” Zaid asked. And I gave him my reasons why DAP and not PKR. Not long after that Zaid was made a Minister and I thought that that was the end of the matter.. Now, we can tell Zaid: I told you so! We did not think PKR was suitable for him. He is too ‘independent’, does not have the ‘discipline to kowtow’ to what he does not believe in, will not be able to tolerate the nonsense in PKR (and we know there is a lot of nonsense in PKR), and is a ‘loose cannon’, just like the rest of us, and will always shoot at anything that moves — friend or foe. My final word to Zaid is this. Get out of PKR. Forget about contesting the party elections. Leave and come help us lead the Third Force. Let the Third Force make an electoral pact with any of the 20 or so political parties from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat that may be prepared to make an electoral pact with us. And if none are prepared to make an electoral pact with our Third Force then we shall contest the general election in three-corner fights even if we lose or lose our deposit. Winning or losing the general election is not the issue. The issue is to offer the voters an alternative choice in the event they find both Barisan Nasional as well as Pakatan Rakyat unsuitable choices. Let us call this Third Force Barisan Rakyat. It is neither Barisan Nasional nor Pakatan Rakyat. It is the alternative to both.
The Third Force has become a reality in the UK. Who ever thought the LDP would garner 30% of the votes even though they won only 10% of the seats? And none of the two major parties — Labour and Conservative — could form the new government without the involvement of the Third Force, LDP.”
(Ref Malaysia Today 30th Sept “Don’t you hate it when someone says: “I told you so!’”)
This is repeated here because there will come a time if and when Zaid instigated by RPK forms a so called 3rd Force political party dissociating from Anwar’s PKR and PAS when predictably Kit will be asked whether the DAP shares the 3rd Force vision to abandon the present PR and join it – given that the DAP has been identified by RPK long ago as having the right formula for politics that the country needs but only lacking in Malay political leadership which the likes of Zaid and Tunku Aziz could provide. The 3rd Force was never comfortable with PKR or Pas. They are tolerated just because of the common fight against the BN!
Right or wrong, true or not, RPK has this idea that it is because of support of 3rd force like him and other outspoken members of Blogs, civil society and NGOs that help scored victories in 308 and make Pakatan Rakyat what it is today. If true this 3rd Force can unmake Anwar’s/PAS’s dominated PR and can make the 3rd Force party and coalition just as viable.
As long as we are fighting for a Malaysian Malaysia party, it will never be wrong. There are only 2 parties to choose from, either (UMNOs-Racist/Apartheid party for ) or (PKR-Malaysia Malaysian party).
If FoPR were to be influenced by RPK – and sides Zaid in his tiff with Anwar/Azmin – it will support the idea of a “3rd Force” and possibly creation and launch of a 3rd Force party or even coalition Barisan Pakatan or whatever other name.
BN is incumbent 1st Force, with PR, the 2nd, and 3rd Force initially backed by those of civil society, blogging and NGO activist community sympathetic to RPK’s or Zaid’s thinking that:-
• Principle and duty to nation’s Cause (longer term) must be always by and large be above and 1st priority over party loyalty and discipline conventionally considered necessary to beat a strong incumbent like BN within an either/or 2 coalition electoral framework; and
• Those who dislike both BN and PR’s politics ala Anwar/Azmin’s or Pas’s style or (in the case of HINDRAF, even DAP’s style) will secure representation of their political preferences. They don’t have to be forced to choose PR out not of love for PR but hate of the BN in a hopson choice scenario of either/or or nothing!
This thinking is definitely democratic and principle based but the competing argument of Detractors is this: relapolitik-wise, is this a practical idea, especially at this juncture after 308 when PR is not that far from the gates of Putrajaya? Why spit the Opoosition to BN when unity is prerequsite to victory?
The main thought of 3rd Force “Detractors” and opposers is that the first priority before all priorities, even democratic priorities, is Regime Change, without which the BN, if favoured by split of votes of those against it in 3 cornered fights ever become resurgent again to secure 2/3 majority, will amend the Constitution and pass legislation to entrench itself even more deeply and securely for many elections and perhaps even generations to come.
According to this thinking of the Detractors, a successful campaigning and winning of the election to boot and dislodge BN is worth all compromises to principles because obviously BN is the greater evil than the petty abuse of or struggle for power and electoral shenanigans of PKR/PR’s personalities in their party’s elections. They are nothing compared to abuses and sheninegans occuring in BN’s camp!
The issue is whether the creation of 3rd Force will necessarily split those against BN and favour it. We don’t have the facts to the situation. It depends. It is true IF a voter who didn’t vote for a 3rd Force candidate would have then voted for a PR’s candidate! It is however NOT true IF PR and 3rd Force party/coalition have in an ideal situation an electoral pact to avoid a 3 cornered fight in constituencies where voters there are obviously by majority against BN and BN will otherwise win if their votes split – and where whether the decision to field either a PR’s or the 3rd Force’s candidate is based on an objective determination of which of these 2 against the common enemy is of greater popularity and stands higher chances amongst the voters.
This is more elegant in theory than practical in implementation because chances are that both PR and the 3rd Force (being political parties bent on winning seats) cannot make any objective determination except the self serving one.
That being so – if 3 cornered fight is likelier to be the rule than exception- it must then be determined why there are so many Malaysians of voting age who are either are not voting or registered as voters.
Assuming this is a significant bloc that makes a real and not theoretical difference in electoral outcome: it must be objectively determined if the apathy of this significant Bloc were a result of their being:-
(a) in spite of being opposed to BN’s politics they are, in spite of that, not liking Anwar’s or PAS’s or DAP’s style of politics in PR enough to otherwise come out to vote in support of PR but who will otherwise come out to vote for the 3rd Force Party – in a situation where (assuming) PR’s candidate does not withdraw from the contest thereby precipitating 3 cornered fight; or
(b) inherently politically apathetic thereby making their decision not to vote or registered as voter notwithstanding the 3rd Force fielding a suitable candidate.
The 3rd Force has a relevant impact favourable to Change for “Better Malaysia” if (a) and not (b) holds true. It is a case where the voter would not have voted at all if there had not been a 3rd Force candidate to vote for. That’s for shorter and medium term.
In the longer term the emergence of the Third Force party/coalition helps the Common Cause of Better Malaysia IF (again) in spite of its candidate losing in 3 cornered fight, its participation in the electoral participation raises consciousness of either BN or PR to address the reason why some of the voters have voted for the 3rd Force candidate in the last election. Here the 3rd Force is a delayed agent and vote for longer term change, not affecting the immediate outcome of the current election but affecting the incumbent parties (BN or PR) after that election as either of the latter try to address the issues raised by 3rd Force candidate in an attempt to win over these 3rd Force voters to return to or join the major BN or PR party, with the next election in mind. In other words the 3rd Force serve as incentive for the other 2 major coalitions to self improve for more principled politics in betterment of all.
At d end of the day, ppl ask: R our politicians sincere n trustworthy? R they in 4 their own n children’s fortune through corrupt practices? Is there future for all rakyat under their governance?
Well for a start the advocates and promoters of Third Force – RPK, Zaid, Din Merican, Dr Kua Kia Soong, Haris Ibrahim all have made contributions for the ‘Betterment of the Country’s Cause’ or made sacrifices that make them seem credible enough – for a start.
The Third Force then aspires to target and draw support from the following:-
• The unquantified no. of ordinary Malaysians who are eligible and did/do not vote because of absence of alternatives;
• The number of members of BN’s component parties (Gerakan MCA MIC or East Malaysian parties) and NGO like Hindraf which though unhappy with UMNO distrust Anwar led PKR/PR, and Hindraft case may even support BN as lesser evil than PR.
• East Malaysian distrusting Anwar. When TDM was the prime minister and Anwar was his deputy Anwar allegedly instrumental to facilitate party hop after the PBS won a two-seat majority in the 1994 Sabah state elections. His subsequent clarion call as defacto PR leader in Sept 16th during Pak Lah’s time for 30 over East Malaysian MP’s crossovers to take over Federal Govt is viewed baseless and unprincipled.
• The disaffection of many intellectuals from civil society, blogging and NGO community having like opinions of RPK who are disenchanted with Anwar’s political style reminiscent of UMNO’s.
The Question is whether This Third Force’s aspiration to get support from these quarters is true and could trigger critical mass of support – or untrue.
Ultimately, the viability of the Third Force idea, which time has come, must be established by empirical evidence or maybe Merdeka Polls depends on which of these 2 applies more:-
1. a voter who didn’t vote for a 3rd Force candidate would have then voted for a PR’s candidate! (In this case the Third Force obviously favours BN in 3 cornered fight) OR
2. the voters from those groups stated above (i) would not have voted for BN or PR or (ii) not voted at all if the choice were only between BN or PR Anwar/Azmi’s or PAS’s style had there not been a 3rd Force candidate to vote for besides BN and PR. In these cases of (i) or (ii) the Third Force’s existence obviously will not favour BN in 3 a cornered fight.
It is comforting to note FoPR’s rational stand of not taking side in PKR’s internal feud and even more comforting to know that they advocate keeping focus on the ball.
One cannot compare the Third Force to the Liberal Democrats of UK for the Liberal Democrats are not idealists but a political party.
Jeffrey in one of his many postings make this remark attributed to RPK:
Quote:
Let the Third Force make an electoral pact with any of the 20 or so political parties from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat that may be prepared to make an electoral pact with us.
Unquote.
A third force prepared to even bed with the BN? Where is your principle?!
The idea of a Third Force not bound by party discipline is dangerous. With no firm ideology to bind them together I would dread the day when they decide to put up their seats for sale to the highest bidder. Hope Malaysians are not a naive lot to fall for this loose Third Force idea however noble it may appear to be.
Don’t be mislead by the third force!
Third force is an act to divide votes so that it’ll favour BN.
We kick out “big time robber” BN first!
Then if Pakatan sucks, we kick their butt too and then opt for third force next.
We just have to stick to principle as to save the country.
How “bad” is Pakatan is not as bad as BnUmno yet!!!
//A third force prepared to even bed with the BN? Where is your principle?!// – IKT 56 in #15
When RPK says “let the Third Force make an electoral pact with any of the 20 or so political parties from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat”, the word from “both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat” means these collaborating parties were from but have since left BN or PR to be independent or part of coalition of third force if there were one.
The reason for this is that they cannot be still in either BN or PR and yet make a electoral pact with a third party like the so called 3rd force.
So the question of violation of principle of conflicts of interest strictly does not arise.
Q: Who is the pay master of the Third Force?
A:The PM’s Department with billions of ringgit at its disposal
Q: Why is the Third Force set up?
A: To split the votes going to PR
Examples of the members of the Third Force—Jelapang Hee, Zul Nortin, Wee Ah Siong, Tan Tibeng, Parti “Cinta” Malaysia
R we moving towards d Romance of d 3 Kingdoms? Or is it d Fury of d 3 Kingdoms?
Reality check: UmnoB/BN larfing all d way 2 d banks
Excerpt from RPK, ‘The Ends Can’t Justify the Means’
http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/36055-the-ends-cant-justify-the-means
‘…We are living in the fallacy that ABU is enough — ‘Asal Bukan Umno’ or ‘Anything But Umno’. In 2008, that may have been enough. This may no longer be enough for the next election.
If the objective is just to kick out Barisan Nasional and if the route to achieving this would be to change Malaysia into an Islamic State to ensure that we get more Malay votes would you agree to this? If we all agree to PAS’s proposal to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State and if this will guarantee that Barisan Nasional will be defeated since we will gain more Malay votes why can’t you agree to this? The ends justify the means, right?
So you see, we can’t agree to the ends justifying the means. We want a change of government but we want it done in a certain way.
Some say Pakatan Rakyat is not perfect but it is still better than Barisan Nasional. Can I argue that Najib Tun Razak may not be perfect but he is still better than Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad? But no, we also don’t want Najib. We want an absolutely prudent prime minister.
We can’t compromise on moral conduct. We also can’t close our eyes to the proper moral code and argue that we change the government first and then address these issues later once the government has changed…’