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For close to a year, Pakatan Rakyat existed only in name but not in fact

For close to a year, Pakatan Rakyat existed only in name but not in fact.

For the past year, it was impossible to convene a meaningful Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council meeting as the two pillars which have seen Pakatan Rakyat posed the greatest challenge to the Umno/BN coalition in the 13th General Elections and even reduced it to a minority government in Putrajaya had been knocked out – the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Framework which the three component parties DAP, PKR and PAS had freely, fully and voluntarily agreed in 2008 and the consensus operational principle that the consensus of all the three component parties is the only basis for PR decision-making and no one political leader or political party can exercise a veto power over the others.

The UMNO/BN coalition has lost the trust and confidence of Malaysians because it has demonstrated beyond a shadow of doubt that it has no high political principles and national objectives but only the sordid interest of the UMNO/BN leaders clinging on to power so as to enjoy the perks of power – office, position and money-making opportunities.

The Pakatan Rakyat political coalition cannot make the same mistakes as the UMNO/BN coalition and must always prove that it is motivated by common political principles of justice, freedom and human dignity for the benefit of the people and country, and not opportunistic interests of self, whether for office, position or money-making opportunities.

Otherwise, there will be no difference between the Barisan Nasional and the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. Continue reading “For close to a year, Pakatan Rakyat existed only in name but not in fact”

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Excerpt #4: The Curse of Our Obsession With Politics

M. Bakri Musa
www.bakrimusa.com

Malays hold an almost exclusive grip on the political process and leadership. Through demographic dynamics Malays could rule the country without support from any other community, and still do justice to the principle of representative governance and other niceties of democracy.

That we do not is a tribute to our sense of fairness and justice, reflecting the values of our culture. It also shows that we have not been infected with the destructive virus of tribalism, an affliction that grips even the most sophisticated. This point deserves repeating as it is not widely acknowledged much less appreciated.

Contrary to the delusions of many Malays, this near exclusive grip on political power is not all blessing or an advantage. It would be if handled competently, but current Malay leaders across the political spectrum are far from being adroit or sophisticated. This political power is thus more bane than blessing. It distracts us from other important and equally worthy pursuits, especially economic.

Worse, with politics now all-consuming, it corrupts all our other endeavors. Our academics are but politicians with glorified professorial titles; our singers and writers are known less for their talent and creativity, more for their endless praises for our leaders.

Because of their long unchallenged grip on power, our leaders are infected with the megalomania virus. They are immune to criticisms; worse, they delude themselves into believing that they can do no wrong. They deceive themselves into thinking that they could readily transfer their political “skills” to other spheres. They cannot; the skills required to ascend the party hierarchy are very different from those needed to run a ministry, helm a major corporation, or lead an academic institution. It is the rare individual who could make a smooth and successful transition. Continue reading “Excerpt #4: The Curse of Our Obsession With Politics”