I most toe the party line

I suppose there is some merit in enforcing the ‘toe the party line’ rule. It is not the law. It is not even written into the party Constitution. Just like Malaysia’s Social Contract, it is implied. Nevertheless, although implied, just like Malaysia’s Social Contract, we must treat it as the law chiselled in stone and not question it, oppose it, or express any view contradicting the party line.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(Bernama) -- A Malay Muslim will be appointed the prime minister if the opposition pact wins the next general election, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said today.

He said the leader to be appointed must be an individual from a group which has the greatest influence, and Malay Muslims made up the majority of the population in the country.

"We are going by the basis of the Pakatan Rakyat resolution, the constitution, Islam as the official religion of the federation, bumiputra rights, Malay as the official language and the constitutional monarchy.

"We give preference to these, nothing more than that. We move on that premise, we do not want to do anything rash," he told a news conference in conjunction with the "Himpunan Hijau ke Putrajaya" (Green Rally to Putrajaya) in Kota Sarang Semut near here.

Meanwhile, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had said that he had no intention of helming the country.

"The constitution is silent. We (the opposition pact) are agreed that the prime minister must be a Malay Muslim," he said.

Also present at the rally were PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and Kedah Menteri Besar and Kedah PAS commissioner Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak.

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Actually, personally, I do not agree with this stand. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was right when he said that the Federal Constitution of Malaysia is silent on the race/religion of the Prime Minister, unlike some of the State Constitutions, which stipulate that the Menteri Besar must be a Malay/Muslim.

This was why when DAP won the most number of seats in Perak in the March 2008 general election, they have to offer the post of the Menteri Besar to PAS, the party that won the least number of seats.

Nevertheless, I will have no choice but to support what Hadi said although I may have an opposing personal view. Malaysians, especially DAP members, are very strict about toeing the party line. If I disagree with Hadi and express my opposite view, I might get called all sorts of nasty names.

I suppose there is some merit in enforcing the ‘toe the party line’ rule. It is not the law. It is not even written into the party Constitution. Just like Malaysia’s Social Contract, it is implied. Nevertheless, although implied, just like Malaysia’s Social Contract, we must treat it as the law chiselled in stone and not question it, oppose it, or express any view contradicting the party line.

In that spirit, Malaysia’s Prime Minister must be a Malay/Muslim. A non-Malay, non-Muslim, or even a non-Malay who may be Muslim, cannot become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. That is what the party president said. And all supporters of Pakatan Rakyat and readers of Malaysia Today must toe this party line.

End of discussion and only comments that agree with this will be allowed and all comments opposing it must be blocked.