Open letter to Pakatan members


Letter by Emmanuel Joseph

Dear friends,

We cannot let them win. We cannot let hopelessness and despair triumph over justice and truth. We cannot succumb to helplessness and self-pity. And most importantly, we cannot self-destruct.

It is convenient and most tempting to raise a finger and point out PKR as the weak link in the PR chain, to blame all that is happening today on Anwar Ibrahim. After all they clung on stubbornly to their allocated seats and placed postmen and washouts to contest instead of giving way to PAS’ or DAP’s more qualified, loyal candidates.

But in more ways than one, it was also PKR and its leader Anwar Ibrahim that has raised Pakatan to the level it is now. PKR helped smooth things out between conservative DAP and hardline PAS in the shaky first few weeks, and subsequently PKR played the role as a stabilising force in Pakatan, grounding the ideals of both its partners, and allowing PAS and DAP to cement their ties to the current warm levels.

It was the world’s interest in Anwar Ibrahim’s brand of moderate Islam that pressured the government into attempting to out-Islamise Pakatan’s PAS, and in the process, alienate itself from half the Malaysian electorate. Anwar’s profile in the international community, and his wide coverage in WSJ, CNN and IHT often has Wisma Putra scrambling to etch some cover story and often they are forced to ‘summon’ diplomats to ‘explain’ issues to them.

When Anwar spoke, the world paid attention. And so did Malaysians. This newfound stability, mutual respect and trust, turned Pakatan from an uneasy alliance to a serious political force to be reckoned with. And eventually, Barisan noticed.

Dear friends,

Attempt after attempt was made to destabilise the alliance, starting with attacking individual Selangor’s Excos and MB, the coup d’etat in Perak,the crossover of a Kedah assemblyman, the anti-Islamic allegations against Penang’s state leadership, the oil royalty fiasco in Kelantan.

Every trick in the book was used, lies, damned lies and statistics were thrown around, misleadingly named NGOs and ‘NGO Alliances’ were used, and the mainstream media was manipulated, all to break up this one credible threat that existed against Barisan.

When they realised going after the states did not work, individuals were lured, to defect, and for the first time in Malaysian political history, we heard the term ‘BN-friendly Independent’. And this last few weeks, the BN-controlled media screamed headlines and painted a bleak, hopeless picture of Pakatan, depicting it as a fragile alliance falling apart, culminating in the multiple defections from PKR.

In doing this, they hope to break the only thing that keeps Pakatan together, its spirit. It was this spirit that had PAS, PKR and DAP back each other at the risk of each losing support from their traditional bases.

It was this spirit that captured the imagination of the rakyat, brought back hope to a seemingly hopeless nation, renewed the strength of worn out social activists, and put the fight back in a generation that forgot how to struggle. And that is the spirit they want to kill. But this spirit must not die. It must live, spread and burn brighter.

Dear friends,

In their arrogance, the defectors spoke as if their voice echoed the views of their constituents. In their haughtiness, they spoke as though the party won because of them, and not the other way around. They spoke of betrayal, when in truth; it was the people that were betrayed. They spoke of loyalties, when it was peddled cheaply to the highest bidder.

Eventually, the people will judge them. Eventually, their Creator will judge them. I am sure they have plenty to talk about, especially over their liberal use of His name.

Pakatan is not the only one beset with problems. Barisan has a party with two people claiming to be president. They have a party where two people wanting to be deputy president. They have a party where the party does not know what to do with the president. They have a party where a disputed president of another party has to step in to solve a dispute involving another two disputing presidents!

And most of the parties don’t know what to do with themselves. And you thought DAP and PAS had problems?

As for the rest of us, we would do well and remember and remind each other all the things that happened in the last two years. Rolling cow heads, racially charged demonstrations, burning churches and suraus, deaths in custody, our dead ancestors being labelled as prostitutes and beggars, nonchalant crossing of political divides like it’s a paddy field, fighter jets that don’t fly and submarines that cannot dive, mysterious disappearances of individuals worthy of the X Files, rising taxes and cost of living and lower income and spending ability.

We would do well to remember all this. We would do well to never forget. And we would do well; to never let them win again. Dust off the flags and banners my friends. It’s not over yet.

Emmanuel Joseph
DAPSY Klang

  1. #2 by All For The Road on Wednesday, 3 March 2010 - 8:58 pm

    All well-written and said to those frogs who have no backbones and convictions of their political struggles.

    They have betrayed the rakyat’s trust in them. They won not because of their personalities but rather of the party they have stood for. They will be political have-beens in the next GE.

    God bless them. They will pay for their betrayal!

  2. #3 by Jong on Wednesday, 3 March 2010 - 9:41 pm

    It’s good that they go, long overdue infact and good riddance to bad rubbish – stench of UMNO/BN what else!

    Ditoxification process should proceed as its next course of action if PKR wants to stay relevant.

  3. #4 by Thor on Wednesday, 3 March 2010 - 10:09 pm

    Who is the one who was wrongfully accused and thrown to jail?
    It’s Anwar!
    Who’s the the one who was beaten with a black eye and suffered permanent damage?
    It’s Anwar!!
    And who’s the one who was humiliate and falsely accused twice of Sodomy without concrete proof and evidence?
    That’s Anwar!
    And among all politicians who’ve either gone to jail or Kamunting , who’s the one who have suffered pain and torture the most?
    That’s Anwar!!!
    Though he had done some wrong in the past does’nt mean that he’s no good.
    Human are prone to do wrong once a while and as long as he can realise his mistakes and change, then it’s good.
    Unlike all those BN skunks, who keeps on comitting evil deed without feeling any regrets till the very last.
    Umno members are no longer humane.
    So who in Malaysia, deserve to be the next Prime Minister?
    That’s Anwar!!!
    I’m a human and I’ve sympathy,emotion and feelings and I just can’t sit down and watch innocent people being treated like an animal.
    Oh! how I wish I could be the real “Thor” who holds the hammer.
    So I could hit out bolts of lightning, to send all you b@stard to hell right away.
    In any way, I vow that I’ll do my very best to see that Anwar and his team were to occupy Putrajaya in the next GE.

  4. #5 by ekompute on Wednesday, 3 March 2010 - 10:48 pm

    Malaysia does not belong to UMNO. UMNO has ruled since Day 1. It’s long enough and it’s time they go. Let’s give others a chance.

  5. #6 by Winston on Wednesday, 3 March 2010 - 11:29 pm

    Great writing Emmanuel!
    It’s one great, inspired, fired-up piece!
    The evil machinations of UMNO/BN is as clear as daylight!
    I have never been fooled by them from the first time I cast my vote until now and never will.
    We must not only read Uncle Lim’s blog but must also go all out to convince others that UMNO/BN is a failed government and have been so for the past five decades.
    Let others know that we will not tolerate any more nonsense from a failed government!

  6. #7 by tanjong8 on Wednesday, 3 March 2010 - 11:38 pm

    Najib, Kerishammudin and Mokrizt, the sons of 2nd, 3rd and 4th PM of Malaysia.

    They are now in power in the evil UmnoUtusan.

    Can Malaysia look forward ?

    All the rubbish go to the UmnoUtusan dustbin!!

  7. #8 by msianep on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 12:07 am

  8. #9 by msianep on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 12:10 am

    UPDATED: re-evaluate ‘em if needed @ http://www.bit.ly/9f0Ivl

  9. #10 by chengho on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 12:41 am

    EJ,
    18 more to go within this couple of week , state government of Kedah also probably joing BN soon . Leg of Penang probably thinking . All of this because PKR is 1 man party ie Anwar , probably Anwar also thinking joining BN , who know?…

  10. #11 by pwcheng on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 12:44 am

    That idiot Kerismuddin was trying to be sinister about the pledge of loyalty by 12 PKR MPS. Didn’t he remember that the same was also done by the BN before they were packed off to Taiwan, and expenses paid by a philanthropist whose name was made popular by PKFZ.
    Some how or rather this Keris talk cock many a times and fortunately or unfortunately he is graced by short memory.

  11. #12 by pwcheng on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 12:48 am

    11.

    That idiot Kerismuddin was trying to be sinister about the pledge of loyalty by 12 PKR MPS. Didn’t he remember that the same was also done by the BN before they were packed off to Taiwan, and expenses paid by a philanthropist whose name was made popular by PKFZ.
    Some how or rather this Keris talk cock many a times and fortunately or unfortunately he is graced by short memory.
    As the Chinese says ” the good fortune of a family always end at the 3rd generation”.

  12. #13 by DCLXVI on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 1:08 am

    chengho: “18 more to go within this couple of week , state government of Kedah also probably joing BN soon . Leg of Penang probably thinking . All of this because PKR is 1 man party ie Anwar , probably Anwar also thinking joining BN , who know?…”

    Umno-BN wants to keep reminding Anwar about how he was betrayed by the old doctor from Kedah by first getting his aide to betray him with the ‘Sodomy 2’ trial, and then, getting those selfish enough PKR members to defect from his party.
    However, elected representatives who won their seats as PKR candidates who later defect from the party have to be wary of the people who had voted them for they had done so believing that those individuals were wholeheartedly representing PKR & Pakatan Rakyat. Their defection from PKR will & should be viewed as an act of betrayal to the people, and there’s a saying that betrayal is even worse than murder.

    At this point, I should note that one ex-PKR guy, ex-Penang DCM1, Mohd. Fairus, had at least did the honourable thing by resigning from his DCM1 & state assemblyman posts, when he was under pressure by MACC’s investigation which ‘mysteriously’ stopped after Fairus’s resignation…

  13. #14 by Black Arrow on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 3:02 am

    As usual, BN’s main weapon is money. Nevertheless, the war is not over yet, not by a long shot. We in Pakatan Rakyat are prepared to dig in our heels and prepare for a long night ahead in the trenches.

    This is not a 100-metre sprint, it is a marathon, so we have to be physically and mentally prepared for the long haul.

  14. #15 by johnnypok on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 5:23 am

    Remember how the Vetnamese won the war against mighty America?

    It is now people’s power!

  15. #16 by drngsc on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 8:24 am

    Saudara,
    It is better to let those who do not support the party struggle go. The sooner the better. They are a bag of trouble anyway. Purifying the party is important for the battle ahead. We must seperate the wheat from the chaff.

  16. #17 by Thor on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 8:42 am

    Just remember!
    You can buy “one man” but you cannot buy us all.
    Though I don’t have any faith in god anymore, but I still do believed that there’s some kind of law in the universe.
    Just wait for the next GE to come and it’ll be more powerful than the previous Tsunami.
    Most of us have got the instinct deep inside already.
    The “weeding of pest” have already began and the final cleansing will takes place in two years time.
    To those “blardy s@ckers” and “werefrogs”, you have’nt “taste” the real thing yet.
    Enjoy now, if you can!

  17. #18 by dagen on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 9:00 am

    The political scene in the country is in a state of transition. And during transition things are bound to get a little messy and some out-of-the-ordinary events could and would happen. The important point is to remember always that the transition is unstoppable. Look at London – the financial centre of the world a hundred yrs ago. Look at how it was replaced by New York despite the great advantage it derived then from the large british empire. And look at America today. Within the time span from the “desert storm” to the “war on terror” America lost its position as the big brother of the world even though its economy is still the biggest and it still has the best knowledge and technologies known to man.

    Umno is on the way out with only a one way ticket in hand. There is no turning back. Make no mistake about that. Umno may dilly dally along the way and take some time to reach to exit point. [Actually we are only seeing the dying kicks of a political party.] But like the marcos regime and the suharto regime umno will surely collapse. And this could happen sooner than we can imagine. Look at the collapse of gerakan, mca and mic. Did anyone foresee or expect that?

    History tells us to hold firm to our ideals and to stay on course and, above all, to be prepared for the change.

    And yes, johnnypok has a valid point. The vietnamese kicked america’s butt in the later half of last centuary. The afghans and iraqis are doing the same thing right now to america.

    So may god bless malaysia and all her people and ensure that both the transition and the change take place peacefully.

  18. #19 by Thor on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 9:02 am

    To all the rakyat concern and especially to pakatan supporters and members!
    I do wish to apologised for my mistake to’ve voted that useless Wee Chee Keong in the previous GE.
    I deeply regret for my past action.

  19. #20 by artemisios on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 9:04 am

    PR members please be strong.

    They will continue to hit below the belt. Some shots will be so cheap you’ll wonder how those crooks sleep at night. They claim to be God-fearing… but look at what they’re doing??

    PR please be strong. More cheap shots may be coming but i believe it’ll only make PR leaner, faster, more muscular and ultimately stronger.

  20. #21 by good coolie on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 11:01 pm

    If Wee Chee Keong stands in the next GE in any Pakatan Rakyat state (including Perak) and is re-elected, I’ll eat my shoes. The same as to all the frogs!

    How about some acceptance of responsibility by Anwar and Kit Siang in the matter of the frogs? Hey, I don’t hear any beating of breasts at all, nor “mea culpa” s ; or do I?

    We are with you, PKR. Don’t disappoint us.

  21. #22 by lopez on Thursday, 4 March 2010 - 11:13 pm

    the author still hovering in the Pee end mentality…
    many before as PKR also comes from former regime …dont bluff your self…
    just because you did not get a cut,,,you cry for attention….,i dont want babies to represent my interest.

    you can see who are the cute little BABIES in the papers….phew what a relief …no need spanking anymore and being accuse of child abuse.
    Luckily they resigned…..and they took their pampers with them.

  22. #23 by johnnypok on Friday, 5 March 2010 - 1:48 am

    More frogs and “prostitutes” will be offering themselves for sale in the days and weeks to come, until the goal is achieved to have 2/3 majority.
    In the meantime, punters can expect to enjoy even more special-draws from now.
    BN is in trouble, and MCA will rock the boat with more and bigger headaches for Najib and his dream-team.
    Let us enjoy while we can.

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