Archive for category Pakatan Rakyat
All PKR, DAP and PAS must exercise responsibility and discipline to strengthen public confidence in PR if it is not to end up as a one-term wonder
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat on Thursday, 6 August 2009
All Pakatan Rakyat leaders of PKR, DAP and PAS must exercise responsibility and discipline to strengthen public confidence in the credibility, cohesion, integrity and common sense of purpose of Pakatan Rakyat if PR is not to end up as a one-term wonder.
If a state Exco member of a Pakatan Rakyat state government can publicly demand the removal of another state exco member from another Pakatan Rakyat component party from his portfolio, and be supported by the state youth wing of that party to the extent of wanting to hold a public demonstration, then the same thing can be done by the other Pakatan Rakyat component parties.
If in a Pakatan Rakyat state government, a PAS Exco member can demand the removal of a DAP State Exco member which is supported by the state PAS youth calling for a public demonstration, then a DAP or PKR State Exco member could also demand the removal of a PAS State Exco member from his portfolio and be supported by the respective state youth wings together with threats of holding public demonstrations.
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Governance between Idealism and Realism
Posted by Kit in Farish Noor, Pakatan Rakyat on Wednesday, 22 July 2009
By Farish A Noor
Malaysia-watchers would have noticed by now that cracks have begun to appear in the opposition People’s Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) and that recent events have given some cause for worry. Notably, public spats and open rows among PR leaders in state assemblies have not given us any reason to be confident about the coalition’s future, and at the rate that the PR is going today one is not surprised to hear much speculation about the impending fall of two more state assemblies. There are, understandably, many reasons for these rows to have come into the public domain – though none of these reasons could justify such acrimonious and self-defeating displays by public politicians whom we expect to behave with more decorum and professionalism.
One of the reasons, we are told, is the constant bickering and demands that are coming from the business community – predominantly in Selangor and Penang – who feel that their earlier support for the Pakatan should now be reciprocated by the handing out of lucrative development projects and other perks and bonuses that come with political sponsorship and patronage. This, however, is precisely the root of the malaise to Malaysian politics, and was one of the primary reasons why the vote swing in March 2008 was as strong and vocal as it was.
It is known to many in the business world and corporate sector that the mode of governance in Selangor has changed: Calls for transparency and accountability have been met with a more stringent form of quality control and hands-on management. Contracts have to be tendered for openly, and the accounting has to be visibly cleaner and more transparent. Likewise the very nature of the development contracts have changed as well, with environmentally-dangerous forms of development (such as hillside development) put on hold for the moment.
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The next general election is for Pakatan Rakyat to lose
Posted by Kit in Hussein Hamid, Pakatan Rakyat on Thursday, 16 July 2009
by Hussein Hamid
I could write about what Anwar (as in Ibrahim) and what he represents for the many Malaysians who yearns for a Malaysia that is free from corruption, nepotism and all the promises that a ‘Man who would be King’ can promise before his ascent to the throne..but I will not.
I can write about Mahathir and what he has done for our country in the years he has been in power – that he has made Malaysia into a conglomerate that made strange bedfellows of business and politics – where his brand of ‘take no prisioners’ reign tolerated no opposition to his rule – where UMNO and himself was the ruler par excellance…but I will not.
I can write about Pak Lah who came in with a bang and left without even a whimper…but I will not.
I can write about Najib, Rosmah, Altantuya, leaping frogs and things that go bump in the night – but I will not.
I am no card carrying member of the “I am a Melayu/Bumiputra” brigade but I am a Melayu that has benefited greatly from the largeness of UMNO in the years that it has effectively dominated the politics of our country.
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Slim majority in Manek Urai – Pakatan Rakyat parties and leaders must go back to drawing board to sustain public confidence, support and hope
Posted by Kit in Election, Pakatan Rakyat on Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Although the formidable Umno challenge has been fobbed off, the slim Pas majority in Manek Urai by-election in Kelantan yesterday is nonetheless a shocker.
It is a salutary warning to Pakatan Rakyat parties and leaders who think that Pakatan Rakyat can indulge in the luxury of excesses and internal strife, mistakenly believing that Pakatan Rakyat is riding on such an irresistible political wave that it could not possibly lose in any by-election or in the next general elections.
Pakatan Rakyat parties and leaders must go back to the drawing board to sustain public confidence, support and hope which suffered grievous blows particularly in the last month.
Pakatan Rakyat’s string of by-election victories in Permatang Pauh, Kuala Terengganu, Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambau and Penanti have fed a false sense of security and worse, the notion of the inevitability of Pakatan Rakyat victories in the next general elections.
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Time for Pakatan Rakyat to set up a disciplinary committee to restore public confidence in PR cohesion, coherence, discipline, unity and common sense of purpose
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat on Tuesday, 14 July 2009
In responding to my blog “Will Najib call for general elections in November this year if he could crank up his popularity rating to 80 to 85%?”, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said at a meet-the-people session in Jitra he had no plans to announce snap elections at the function but remained very ambivalent as to whether he would go the full term or hold early general elections.
As he said that he “read an email sent by an opposition leader”, let me clarify that I never sent him any such email.
In my blog, I had asked whether Najib would call general elections in November this year (which seemed to be his personal auspicious number like No. 13 for his predecessor, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) if he could crank up his popular rating to 80 to 85% from a dismal low of 42% just before taking oath as Prime Minister on April 3, 45% a month after becoming PM and a jump to 65% two weeks before his First Hundred Days as PM.
What I find significant in Najib’s response is that he did not rule out the possibility of snap general elections.
Of course Najib being enamoured with the number “11” could also mean general elections in November this year, 2010 or 2011.
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Pas win with bigger majority in Manek Urai by-election will be a clear and unmistakable signal to Najib that his Hundred Day performance and goodies are just not good enough and people expect meaningful reforms in his next 100 Days
Posted by Kit in Election, Pakatan Rakyat, PAS on Monday, 13 July 2009
I just returned from Manek Urai in Kelantan where I attended the last Pakatan Rakyat ceramah at Kampong Perial last night, which saw a record ceramah crowd for the by-election campaign.
The prognosis is most favourable and a Pas win with bigger majority in Manek Urai by-election than the general elections last year will be a clear and unmistakable signal to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in two senses:
- That together with the people in the West Coast in Peninsular Malaysia as demonstrated in the three by-elections after Najib became Prime Minister, i.e. Bukit Gantang, Bukit Selambu and Penanti, the people in the East Coast stand as one in their solid support for Pakatan Rakyat in the nation-wide demand for political change; and
- That Najib’s Hundred Day performance and goodies are just not good enough and people expect meaningful reforms in his next 100 Days.
The voters of Manek Urai have a historic mission tomorrow. In the 1978 general elections, when PAS was nearly smashed to smithereens by Umno winning only two State Assembly seats in Kelantan after Pas was thrown out of Barisan Nasional and a period of emergency rule, Manek Urai was one of the two.
In 1978, the voters of Manek Urai were the “saviours” of PAS but tomorrow, the voters of Manek Urai have the mission to be the “saviours” of Malaysia in paving the way for another historic political tsunami in the next general elections for the ending of Umno political hegemony and Barisan Nasional rule at the national level.
Unlike BN, PR is not based on “fear of the master” but partnership based on equality, mutual respect and commitment on agreed principles
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat on Thursday, 9 July 2009
In recent weeks, Barisan Nasional component parties, particularly Umno, MCA and Gerakan had tried to fan discord and engender distrust among Pakatan Rakyat component parties but so far to no avail.
One favourite gambit of Barisan Nasional component parties is to accuse the Pakatan Rakyat component of being subservient to the other parties – betraying a mindset ingrained for over three decades of the real relationship in the Barisan Nasional between Umno and the rest in BN as well as reflective of a modus operandi in the BN which could not conceive of a coalition of political parties based on equality, mutual respect and commitment on agreed principles.
In recent weeks, different language media will carry statements like Umno accusing PAS of being afraid of PKR or DAP, of DAP being afraid of PAS or PKR, as well as of PKR being afraid of DAP or PAS.
This is course the only relationship the BN component parties could understand in the Barisan Nasional – the political hegemony of Umno over the other BN component parties with Umno undergirded by the factors of “the fear of the master” and greed.
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3-point formula to resolve the Kedah Pakatan Rakyat crisis – resolution of outstanding complaints by Kedahans, a committee headed by Dr. Goh Cheng Teik to resolve abbatoir problem and a PR trouble-shooting state mechanism
Posted by Kit in DAP, Pakatan Rakyat on Sunday, 5 July 2009
Yesterday, I had a 90-minute meeting with the Kedah DAP State Committee followed by a two-hour dialogue with the people of Kedah in the Kedah Chinese Assembly Hall, with overflowing capacity crowd, over the Kedah DAP State Committee’s decision on Wednesday to pull out of the Pakatan Rakyat Kedah state government.
I had my hands full in Parliament on Wednesday, with a host of burning issues such as the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone scandal; the urgent need to have a new Inspector-General of Police to provide new police leadership and vision to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class police service which is regarded as friend and protector of the people and capable of performing the three core functions to keep crime low, eradicate corruption and uphold human rights; and Parliament becoming a kangaroo court to punish eight Pakatan Rakyat MPs when the subject is the punishment of Umno Youth leaders who had obstructed and threatened wheelchair-bound DAP National Chairman and MP for Bukit Gelugor Karpal Singh from discharging his parliamentary duties in the precincts of Parliament on February 26, 2009.
I was shocked when I heard the news about the Kedah DAP State Committee decision to pull out of the Pakatan Rakyat Kedah state government, subject to the final decision of the DAP Central Executive Committee. Read the rest of this entry »
Pakatan Rakyat’s second “crisis of confidence”
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat, PAS on Friday, 3 July 2009
(The headline for the Malaysian Insider “No let-up as Kit Siang continues attacks against PAS ahead of Kedah trip” is not correct, as it is not reflected in the contents of its report.
It implied that I was continuing to “attack” the Pakatan Rakyat government in Kedah. This is not the case.
It further implied that I had attacked the PR Kedah state government yesterday. This was also not the case.
Pakatan Rakyat is facing a second crisis of confidence and efforts must be made to resolve it.
This is why I am not only meeting the Kedah State DAP tomorrow but also have a dialogue with the people of Kedah in Alor Star tomorrow night. (New Straits Times today had wrongly reported that I would be meeting residents in the abbatoir area when I said I would be having a people’s dialogue in Alor Star).
Both the Malaysian Insider and New Straits Times report are reproduced below.)
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Relativism and the Politics of Absolutes
Posted by Kit in DAP, Pakatan Rakyat, PAS on Thursday, 2 July 2009
By Farish A. Noor
Studying Malaysian politics is a chore in itself, but rewarding for the simple reason that it is one of the most plural, complex and complicated countries in the world. Among all the countries that I have worked on, it is Malaysia that continues to challenge my capacity to think (and relax) for the simple reason that its communitarian mode of sectarian politics is an odd blend of modernity and primordialism that is seldom equalled anywhere else.
At present the opposition coalition known as the Peoples Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) is once again in a state a crisis – or rather manifold crises – as the component parties bicker over the mode of governance in the states that they won after the elections of March 2008. Bringing together the predominantly Chinese-Malaysian Left-leaning DAP, the multiracial PKR and the overwhelmingly Malay-Muslim Islamists of PAS was never an easy task; and it was said from the outset that the coalition was an instrumental one.
Today however the coalition is once again at breaking point after the DAP threatened to leave the coalition over a dispute over the destruction of a pig abattoir in the state of Kedah, disputes over contracts awarded to development projects in Penang and Selangor, and the lingering fear that the Islamists of PAS will push their Islamisation agenda in the states that have come under their control. Seemingly trivial matters such as the sale of pork and alcohol have forced all three parties to the defensive, with each party holding steadfast to its stand. Read the rest of this entry »
Unity govt a betrayal all around
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat, PAS, UMNO on Tuesday, 23 June 2009
by Oon Yeoh
The Edge
The much-hyped, but now abandoned, unity-government concept, first touted by PAS President Datuk Seri Hadi Awang in March, and welcomed by all and sundry within Umno is a betrayal.
From Pakatan Rakyat’s perspective, it is a betrayal of voters’ trust. Malays who voted for PAS did so because they preferred it over Umno. Non-Malays who voted for PAS didn’t do so because they wanted PAS but because they rejected Umno. In either case, PAS teaming up with Umno is the last thing these Malay and non-Malay voters want.
By pushing for unity-government talks, the faction headed by PAS Deputy President Nasharuddin Mat Isa, is betraying PAS’ coalition partners DAP and PKR, which consider Umno the enemy (as do most of PAS’ grassroots).
Lastly, this faction is betraying PAS itself, which campaigned on a platform of a “welfare state”, with justness for everybody, not just Malays or Muslims.
What else could you call a PAS-Umno unity government but a race-exclusive government? Read the rest of this entry »
Pakatan Rakyat’s Stand on Unity Government
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat on Monday, 22 June 2009
Press Release
Pakatan Rakyat Council of Leaders
22 June 2009
The Pakatan Rakyat Council of Leaders today Monday, 22 June2009 held a meeting at the office of the Opposition leader and agreed on the following:
1. All the component parties of Pakatan Rakyat reiterate their commitment to each other and to strengthen the coalition in order to help form the future Federal Government
2. The Pakatan Rakyat Council of Leaders reaffirms our rejection of the idea of forming a Unity Government with UMNO/Barisan Nasional which is clearly a malicious and desperate attempt to compromise the integrity of the increasingly popular Pakatan Rakyat
3. Pakatan Rakyat agrees to adopt an open approach and is willing to hold discussions with the leaders of Barisan Nasional on issues of national interest such as economic recovery, improving the quality of education, restoring the integrity of the judiciary, abrogation of the Internal Security Act (ISA), the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal, abuse of power by the police leadership during times of increasing crime, eradication of corruption, establishment of good governance and to hold immediately a free and fair election to resolve the Perak crisis.
Pakatan Rakyat foremost task – resolve first crisis of confidence by sending out clear message that PR parties committed to “new politics” and reject “old politics” of “divide-and-rule”
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat, PAS, UMNO on Sunday, 21 June 2009
Tomorrow, Pakatan Rakyat parties must resolve the first crisis of confidence faced by PR in 14 months after the political tsunami of the March 8 general elections by sending out a clear and unmistakable message to Malaysians that Paktan Rakyat rejects the old Malaysian politics based on “divide-and-rule” and the fear factor by standing up solidly for “new politics” in representing the interests of all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or territory.
Recently, UMNO strategists have been very successful in planting doubts among Malaysians who had created the political tsunami which saw Pakatan Rakyat winning five state governments and ended the Barisan Nasional two-thirds parliamentary majority and terminated Umno political hegemony in Malaysian politics whether they had made the right choice.
Pakatan Rakyat leaders’ foremost task and greatest challenge at the PR leadership council meeting tomorrow is to assure these architects of the 2008 political tsunami that they had not made the wrong choice, that PR is prepared to move forward to give meaning to the “new politics” of the future and to put the old politics of the past 52 years solidly behind us. Read the rest of this entry »
Pakatan Rakyat facing first crisis of confidence since its formation after the March 8 political tsunami last year
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat, Politics, UMNO on Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Pakatan Rakyat is facing its first crisis of confidence among members, supporters and well-wishers since its formation after the March 8 political tsunami last year.
I had made a short comment to reporters on the theme of the speech of the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang after the opening ceremony of the 55th PAS Muktamar in Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam on Friday.
I said that the theme Hadi had chosen for his opening speech, “Islam Memimpin Perubahan”, would be a great challenge for PAS to become a national party capable of representing the rights and interests of all citizens in plural Malaysia at a historic moment in the nation’s history undergoing unprecedented political change.
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“Unity talk” for PR-BN government – never arose or discussed at any PR leadership meeting
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat, PAS on Friday, 5 June 2009
I attended the 15th PAS Muktamar opening ceremony at Stadium Melawati, Shah Alam this morning and left after lunch.
The media have been chasing after me to comment on what PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang said in a media conference after his presidential address.
I do not know what Hadi actually said, but in view of the public interest on the question of “unity talks”, I have two comments while making the general observation that political parties and political leaders must be prepared to talk to anyone on any issue concerning public interest, viz:
Read the rest of this entry »
BN not contesting Penanti by-election unconvincing unless Najib ends all “political games” and holds Perak state-wide polls
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Elections, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat on Sunday, 19 April 2009
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is advocating that Umno and Barisan Nasional not contest the Penanti state by-election in Penang following the resignation of Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Mohamad Fairus Khairuddin as Penanti state assemblyman, giving as reasons that such a by-election was not in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution and a waste of public funds.
Led by the Gerakan “Super Minister” Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, who praised Najib for the “good idea for BN not to participate in a by-election caused by strategic intrigue or aimed at resolving Pakatan Rakyat’s internal predicament”, the other Barisan Nasional parties quickly competed to express support for Najib.
The only lone voice was MIC President, Datuk Seri Samy Vellu who said BN should contest in Penanti to safeguard its integrity, prestige and image as the BN should not be “frightened of the opposition”. Samy’s views must have panicked the other MIC leaders, causing the MIC secretary-general and Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam to openly declare support for Najib’s “no contest” idea to contain Samy’s “damage”.
The mainstream media also swung into action to support Najib by reporting that the five by-elections since the March general elections last year have cost Malaysian taxpayers RM33.4 million, comprising: Read the rest of this entry »
Usurper Perak MB convening Assembly on 7th May – Federal Court decision against Perak Speaker defective, null and void
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Pakatan Rakyat, Perak on Friday, 17 April 2009
Following the Federal Court decision yesterday that the Perak State Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar does not have the power to suspend the usurper Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir and his six state executive council members from attending the assembly, Zambry is seeking to convene the Perak State Assembly on May 7.
However, the Federal Court decision yesterday is defective, null and void.
Firstly, it was not the Speaker who suspended Zambry and his six executive council members, but the Perak State Assembly Committee of Privileges on Feb. 18.
In striking out the purported suspension order of the Perak State Assembly Speaker, the Federal Court was striking out an order that does not exist – as the suspension order was that of the Committee of Privileges.
Zambry and his six exco members had sued the wrong party and as a result, has got a Federal Court order against the wrong party. Read the rest of this entry »
Fairuz resigns, another by-election in Penanti
Posted by Kit in Elections, Pakatan Rakyat, Penang Government on Thursday, 16 April 2009
Another by-election within 60 days, a second one in Penang, following the resignation of former Penang Deputy Chief Minister Fairuz Khairuddin from his Penanti seat.
A Star reporter was just on the line asking for my comments on Fairuz’ position and was surprised when I told him that MalaysianInsider and Malaysiankini have reported Fairuz’ resignation as state assemblyman.
Pakatan’s rising hills, Najib’s declining slope
Posted by Kit in Elections, Najib Razak, Pakatan Rakyat on Thursday, 9 April 2009
by Bridget Welsh
Malaysiakini
Apr 8, 09
The results are in, and the 2-1 victory shows that both Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional held onto their original seats. But the final tallies do not suggest a status quo. Far from it.
The larger majorities for the opposition indicate serious obstacles for Najib Abdul Razak and BN. Voters have decisively rejected his new leadership less than one week into his tenure. The debate will not only centre on the numbers, but around the factors that contributed to BN defeats.
Allow me to point out 10 factors that stand out.
1) Leadership credibility – Najib has a serious public image problem. Despite hiring public relations firms, his reform-oriented speeches and calls to give him a chance, the new premier has yet to win over the support of a majority of Malaysians. The results show that this problem is across races (even among the Malays), classes and generations. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia– After the Battle on Bonkers Hills
Posted by Kit in Azly Rahman, Pakatan Rakyat on Thursday, 9 April 2009
by Azly Rahman
Two Hills were won – Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang.
I still remember when I was a child; the name “Bukit Gantang” is associated with a “panglima” or a warrior of fierce look and disposition equipped with the keris, Steroid-pumped up body and a tanjak (headgear). Hence Panglima Bukit Gantang. “Gantang” is a unit of measurement used to calibrate the amount of rice. A bigger unit than “secupak”. The more powerful one is in society, the more gantang one gets. The lower the rakyat is in rung of the “dog-eat-dog world”, the less “cupak” one gets. That’s the ugly side of the language of power/ideology/class of the people of “semangat padi”.
I still remember the word “selamba”, close to the sound of “Selambau”. I know what selamba means — “poker-faced” and no shame in playing dirty games. Selamba saja muka dia … That’s from a Johor dialect I grew up with. Now, “lahabau” is a bad/unacceptable/inappropriate/cuss word used by my friends from Melaka. It mean “jackass”, or worse, maybe. It is actually an affectionate greeting. Truly the Melakkans are good at ‘gangsta-use” of language. They would curse good friends secupak segantang ( a “truckload” of nasty words) when the meet friends who they have not met for months, years, maybe — wondering where this “lahabau” have been all these years. That explains my fear of meeting my friends from Melaka. Fear of being called “lahabau” or “hamlau” or “cilaka kau” in the process of being greeted! Yes– they are the fierce Vikings of Malaya, those modern Melakkans. Read the rest of this entry »
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