Podcast: Can Pakatan truly ignore racial politics?

For the 18th Middle Malaysia podcast, media consultant Oon Yeoh speaks to Sim Tze Tzin, the Penang state assemblyman for Pantai Jerejak and former political secretary to Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Considered to be one of the rising stars in PKR, Sim talks about the idealism that motivated him to join politics and whether he regrets leaving behind a high salary and the sunny beaches of California.

When asked about the odds of Pakatan Rakyat taking over Putrajaya, Sim says he considers the opposition coalition to be the underdog but thinks it's possible to win with a simple majority.

He says the battle will be fought primarily in Peninsular Malaysia, while Sabah and Sarawak will probably back whoever is the winner.

Sim also touches on whether he believes BN will hand over power peacefully if they were to lose GE13.

"This is not 1969, this is 2012," he says, rationalising that it only makes sense in this day and age for BN to graciously concede defeat if they were trounced in the polls.

Sim describes what he thinks would happen if BN were to fall. He believes there will be many politicians who will want to switch sides.

He also answers the question of what to do with BN politicians whom none of the Pakatan parties are willing to take in.

Perhaps the toughest question posed to Sim during this podcast was the issue of how race comes into play when realpolitik takes precedent.

Although Pakatan champions multi-racialism and rejects the politics of race, can it really be totally colour blind if it comes to power?

Can, for example, cabinet positions be appointed without any consideration of race? Sim gives both an idealistic and pragmatic answer.

Listen to Sim in the 12-minute podcast.