2 years hence, a stronger Pakatan with Putrajaya clearly in focus

Kit Siang, Azizah, Karpal, Anwar, Guan Eng, Hadi

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

UPDATED The Pakatan Rakyat convention sent an unmistakable and chilling signal to arch rivals - Prime Minister Najib Razak and the Umno-BN coalition. Despite a roller coaster journey since sweeping to power in the 2008 general election, Pakatan has not only been able to withstand the enmity and malice of its political opponents, but has managed to mature and grow stronger in the process.

"You name it, whatever problems, whatever hardship or stone or rock that the Umno-BN could find, they have thrown it at us. But we are committed to an agenda of change and that needs the removal of the current federal government," Opposition Leader and Pakatan de-facto head Anwar Ibrahim told Malaysia Chronicle at the sidelines of the congress.

Indeed, the star-studded conference hall was packed with the likes of PAS president Hadi Awang, Mujahid Yusof Rawa, PKR president Wan Azizah, Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh.

Pakatan delegates and other members of the public who wanted to meet their 'reformasi' heroes were spoiled for choice. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who is also Penang Chief Minister, played host to the 2,000-strong crowd at the convention.

Racial policies rejected

In a rousing opening address, Guan Eng warned Prime Minister Najib Razak's Umno party not to 'hijack' the federal constitution and misinterpret the controversial Article 153 to divide the ethnic groups in the country.

"Somehow Umno always fails to mention that Article 153 also states that the legitimate interests of other communities must also be protected,” Guan Eng said.

“Umno will always try to play up the relationship between PAS and DAP. They want to politicise this. They will use the 3Rs — Race, religion and ‘Raja’ (the Rulers) to try and drive a wedge between us."

At a rally on Saturday, PAS president Hadi Awang had also minced no words when he took Umno to task for causing the current troubles faced by the Malay community, especially in Penang, where well-paid spin masters have been working overtime to unsettle the Guan Eng administration.

A enthusiastic audience

“The problems faced by Malays in Penang is not due to by either PAS, DAP or PKR. It is due to Umno, MCA and Gerakan who ruled for more than 50 years. It is under their rule that Umno got more contracts," Hadi told a roaring crowd in a semi-rural town in Balik Pulau.

“Ii is under their rule that corruption is rampant in Malaysia. But Pakatan defends Bumiputera rights as they are guaranteed under the constitution, and they form the majority of the country’s population. And yet, do you see us sidelining the Chinese or the Indians.”

Pakatan must not fall into BN's trap

On Sunday, Hadi reinforced these sentiments. He also stressed that Pakatan must be wary and the best way to ward off Umno-BN attacks was to always stay a step ahead.

At the Negara Ku

“We don’t have much time to do all this because the enemy will always find a way to destroy the developments which we had achieved in PR states. All our efforts won’t mean a thing is we fail to show a form of better governance than BN,” said Hadi, whose words quickly sobered up the enthusiastic audience.

PKR president Wan Azizah too minced few words, warning the coalition not to fall into the BN trap of using race and religion to become 'popular'.

Pakatan must have the courage to follow the beat of its own drum, and not dance to the tune of its enemies who only want to see it destroyed at all costs, she said.

“Their biggest strategy yet is to make us fight between ourselves, so that we stray from our fight which has not been racial. They would want DAP to fear PAS because of claims on Islamisation, and would likewise want PAS to fear DAP for ‘driving away’ Malay support," said Azizah.