For PKR to survive and for Pakatan Rakyat to stay relevant, they need a leader who is acceptable to the royal houses and who can command the respect of all Malaysians.
What is Umno’s latest weapon now? It’s the cultivation of the royal houses in the country.
If PKR isn’t blind, they will see where the HRH Sultan of Selangor is going with his majesty’s overt political tones.
Umno is now working overtime to drum in this fallacious idea that if others come into power the very future of the royal houses, the symbol of Malay existence, will be wiped out.
How can Pakatan neutralise this powerful move which is also a powerful idea?
By having someone from the royal line to talk to the rulers. Who can talk to the rulers on equal terms other than Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Ku Li)?
He’s a royalty himself and commands respect and deference among the royal houses.
Tengku Razaleigh will represent the second coming of a Tengku Abdul Rahman figure but this time, putting Malaysia on the right footing.
There’s a practical side also as to why Tengku Razaleigh is the ultimate playmaker for the Pakatan people if the bigger picture is to oust Umno and the BN government.
The bigger picture, I repeat once more, is to secure the interest of the country, not to secure the interest of one Anwar Ibrahim.
Pakatan must win over fence-sitters
It’s for better and participative democracy, the rule of law, and disciplined and better governance.
Why Tengku Razaleigh? Because it’s important for the Pakatan to gain the allegiance and support of the 20 percent fence-sitter voters.
This section of the public has a different psychology. They want to know who the next prime minister is.
Is the next premier going to be more acceptable than the present one?
They want certainty and some confidence in the person. That person must have substance, experience, standing and respect all around.
Furthermore, the fence-sitters will demand to see some clarity.
These are mostly apolitical and can be persuaded only if the person designated has the qualities and the wherewithal to become prime minister.
If we put Anwar up, they may as well say, if the thing ain’t broken, why fix it?
Whether we like it or not, the 20 percent fence-sitter voters are not exactly enamoured with the idea of having Anwar as the premier. They might as well stick with Najib.
Is Tengku Razaleigh too old? Well, Dr Mahathir Mohamad remained prime minister until nearly 80.
Deng Xiaoping became leader of China in his late 70s. Many leaders become head of states at late ages.
They have the stamina, wisdom and experience. Malaysia is in need of someone of that stature.
There’s no past tense when it comes to political relevancy and making sense.
The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman and a FMT columnist.
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