Is divorce looming in Pakatan?

– Tajuddin Rosli
The Malaysian Insider
6 May 2015

The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition was formed on April 1, 2008 consisting of PKR, DAP and PAS, having previously formed the Barisan Alternatif in the 10th general election.

Working independently, PKR, PAS and DAP knew it would be a mammoth task to uproot Barisan Nasional (BN). Hence, the mutual marriage among the three parties.

Different ideologies

Dissecting further, the coalition spelled trouble from Day 1. All three parties have completely different objectives and ideologies.
PAS has only been interested in forming an Islamic state. DAP’s vision is to establish a peaceful and prosperous social democracy to unite disparate ethnic groups while PKR was formed and continue to fight only for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his family. There is no way they are in sync in any way.

Persistent infighting

On numerous occasions, the nation witnessed hair pulling between the three parties of Pakatan. Most recent was the hudud debacle.

Despite DAP and PKR consistently expressing their displeasure towards the hudud law, PAS went ahead with its long-term vision. Top office-bearers of DAP and PKR openly criticised the Islamic law implementation and that irritated PAS like never before. Internal fights commenced and dirty linen was washed in public.

In Sabah and Sarawak, the PKR and DAP alliance have completely cut ties with PAS. In the peninsula, the same claims are made but thin strands are still attached between them, a relationship even they cannot understand and explain.

Ugly faces in Permatang Pauh

The infighting has escalated several notches in Permatang Pauh in the wake of the by-election. Permatang Pauh PAS Youth initially called for a boycott to Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s candidacy unless she apologises and retracts her statements against hudud.

Dr Wan Azizah did so behind closed doors to calm the nerves of PAS.

While everything seemed temporarily controlled, PAS members led by Bagan division deputy head held a protest in front of Kampung Pertama main mosque on Friday against PKR and DAP.

Banners were held lambasting DAP as rude and labelling PKR un-Islamic. PKR’s deputy Youth chief immediately responded querying the identity of the protesters and claimed they were not PAS members.

His defence is appalling and disgraceful because both the Bagan division deputy head, Md Yusof Ghazali, and information chief Azmi Jaafar gave interviews to the media present, citing the protest as a warning to Dr Wan Azizah and PKR.

Hudud in Rompin and Permatang Pauh

PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli has been reported in news portals saying it is not relevant to raise hudud issues at campaigns for the Permatang Pauh and Rompin by-elections.

Rafizi should look back at his own coalition because nobody is harping on the hudud issue as hard as PAS. Datuk Ahmad Yakob, who is also the menteri besar of Kelantan, had said PAS intends to promote Islamic law during the campaigning in the two by-elections and their desire is not opposed by both PKR and DAP. Who is speaking the truth now, Rafizi or Ahmad?

With their continuous disagreement and lack of consensus, how are they going to govern a country when they are unable to decide on a common objective?

The only picture I see is the Pakatan coalition wants to govern the country at any costs even if it occurs at the expense of the nation being in complete disarray between religious and common civil law. – May 6, 2015.