opinion

The Pakatan dilemma

Jeya Seelan

Pakatan Harapan is in a embarrassing dilemma. DAP has openly said that it would contest in PAS held seats in the next general election and PAS has declared that it would contest more seats and defend its existing seats in Selangor.

DAP and PAS are still part of a coalition of convenience in Selangor. Both hate each other's guts. PKR seems to be in its own world saying that ignorance is bliss.

The scenario in the next general election in Selangor is going to be a dog-eat-dog battle between PAS, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah). PAS has openly supported Umno and is still allowed to be part of the current coalition in Selangor.

I can't imagine how the  people of Selangor are going to vote in a strong coalition when you have DAP and Amanah going after PAS's throat. That is if PAS is still part of the current coalition of convenience in Selangor in the next general election.

Mahatma Gandhi once said that one of the 10 deadly social sins that would be able to destroy and corrupt a country is politics without principle. The current political situation in Selangor is testimony to that.

Now, for the sake of political convenience, if the DAP says that they agree to disagree and let things remain as status quo and go into the next general election then the logical consequence would be disastrous for Pakatan Harapan in that, they risk losing Selangor to Barisan Nasional (BN) and they in turn should not blame Selangorians for it since that's how democracy works.

Thus, it would be good if Pakatan Harapan takes steps to resolve this dilemma. This is the least you could for the people of Selangor.

Maybe an explanation from the party election strategist is in order here. If none is forthcoming, then I suggest that the DAP leave the current coalition of convenience and go on its own.

This is because if they don't, then it is clear that the DAP is only in the coalition to hold on to power in the state at any cost, just like its coalition partners PKR and PAS. Now this is politics without principle.

I believe if the late Karpal Singh is alive today, being the principled politician that he was, he would have pushed the DAP to leave the coalition of convenience and he would have left the DAP if they didn't.

The dilemma is further compounded by the fact that some key leaders in Pakatan don't inspire much confidence.

Amanah president Mohamad (Mat) Sabu, for example, said that current laws like Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota), Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) and the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) are nonsensical. These laws like any other law may have its weaknesses but its not a reason to not have them at all. The weaknesses can always be improved on.

Most countries in the world have laws on preventive detention, so why must Malaysia be an exception. The reality of the situation is that terrorism is a real threat, therefore laws on preventive detention are a necessary evil.

The police have done a very good job in preventing terrorist attacks in Malaysia with all the arrests done recently. They would be handicapped if they are not given enough powers to act against potential terrorist.

It would have made better sense if Mat Sabu said that these laws should not be abused. The question is how do we trust a leader like this with the security of the nation?

Recently, we saw a key PKR leader whom some say may be prime minister material, posing with the daughter of the Sultan of Sulu, whom we know is the mastermind behind the attempted invasion of Sabah in 2013, and where several members of our security forces were killed in battle. Again how do we trust a leader like this with the security of the nation?

The security of the nation is fundamental. It is even more important than the economy of the country since if the country is under constant national security threats, talking about the economy is meaningless.

Further, the recent Sungei Way Deepavali Bazaar issue raised questions about some DAP leaders. The DAP has always prided itself in being a socialist party. It has fought tooth and nail for the "small people" like hawkers, petty traders and squatters. Veteran DAP leaders like the late P.Patto, the late Karpal Singh, Lim Kit Siang and Ronnie Liu fought for the poor and they continue to do so.

These were the reasons I joined the party as a member way back in 2002. But, I think that some among the current breed of younger DAP leaders seem to have forgotten the party ideals and its struggle.

Reasons offered for the relocation of the bazaar was that it caused traffic congestion, parking problems and middlemen controlling the bazaar. Its common knowledge among Petaling Jaya residents that traffic congestion in Sungei Way starts all the way from the exit into Sungei Way from the Federal Highway because of double parking along the main road in Sungei Way Town Centre. So it makes no sense to target the minor road where the bazaar is situated.

If traffic congestion is the problem, then the local council enforcement officers can still control the traffic at the area as the bazaar operates only for two weeks and, as we know, there are traffic and parking problems in almost all bazaars during every festive season in Malaysia.

And if there are middle men trying to control the bazaar then its for the local council to handle this by enforcing the local by-laws and tightening the licensing requirements. Its definitely not a reason to move the bazaar to a place which is not a commercial area and especially when the traders have been trading at that location for the last 10 years or so.

Although the Sungei Way Bazaar issue was at the local level and some might even consider it insignificant as compared with issues like 1MDB etc, the way the issue was handled created a perception that the DAP may act in a crude and high-handed manner when faced with similar controversial issues at the national level.

Politics is about perception they say, the perception that was created from this was negative to say the least.

There is no doubt the Pakatan Harapan coalition, and DAP in particular, have done a sterling job in fulfilling its responsibility as the federal opposition, however, some of its key leaders need to attain political maturity and the parties need to get their act right before even thinking about taking Putrajaya. – February 28, 2016.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.