BE CAREFUL PAKATAN: Watch out for BN's late-minute dirty tricks

Only a slew of efforts to dispel doubts and uncertainties lingering in the hearts and minds of Malaysians will ensure that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is able to seize control of Putrajaya and govern the nation following the 13^thGE.

If PR harbors any hopes of even coming within reach of the administrative capital they will have to come clean and present first and foremost to the nation an unchangeable manifesto, a manifesto that has been truly cast in iron.

Since the political tsunami of 2008 in which the opposition was able to command nearly a half of the total votes cast, PR has come across as being hazy and unclear on a number of pressing issues that has caused them to be viewed as disunited and in certain ways an unstable political alliance.

If PR is unable to garner support to takeover at Putrajaya it will be largely due to their inconsistent and shifting stand on issues that divide and splinter the opposition coalition comprising of PKR, PAS and DAP.

Friction over implementation of “hudud” and Islamic state

While PKR maintains a distant politeness in the squabble between PAS and DAP over the issue of “hudud” and the setting up of an Islamic state, the tension and agitation between the latter duo has been fully exploited to gain great mileage by Barisan Nasional component parties – UMNO and MCA.

But what may perhaps be considered as even amusing is that the stance of Parti Pas in wanting to implement “hudud laws” and convert Malaysia into an Islamic state is not acceptable to the larger majority of Malaysians, irrespective of race or religion, and this can be attested to in any fact-finding survey the radical hardliners within PAS are willing to undertake.

The issue of transforming Malaysia into an Islamic theocracy and to implement the archaic, obsolete laws of “hudud” is clearly and most certainly a lost cause as most people in the country are dead set against it.

Such being the case, that Malaysians are coming out in large numbers to oppose “hudud” laws and the creation of an Islamic state, even staunch Muslims in the country, perhaps PAS might want to channel their energies into more practical and workable options taking into consideration the realities of the multi-racial, multi-religious set up of the nation.

While most Malaysians might gladly go along with Islam being the official religion of the state, in no way are they going to give way to the establishment of an Islamic state, and, for that matter, neither are the minority religions going to think of their individual professing faiths as “unofficial religions.”

If ever Malaysians go along and accept the tag of Islam being the official religion of the state, it is really in acceptance of the fact that Muslims comprise the bulk or the largest percentage of followers of a religion in this country.

But this, in no way, will cause practitioners of other religions (besides Islam) to view their religion as being inferior or in any way less important than the religion of Islam as enshrined and guaranteed to them under the federal constitution of Malaysia.

A comprehensive manifesto from PR is imperative

The quest to takeover Putrajaya might also become more viable if PR is able to thrash out and put forward a comprehensive manifesto to which the three component parties are in full agreement and are certain and sure of not reneging on the spirit and content of their manifesto.

If Malaysians view with apprehension and skepticism the gallant overtures of PR it is precisely because that they are changeable and PR leaders seem to play to different tunes as the occasion suits them.

This has become glaringly evident as shoddy, slothful politics that does not go down well with a better informed and better educated Malaysian electorate who view the antics and ‘sandiwara’ of PR leaders as reflecting a lack of direction and formidable purpose.

Component parties of PR have to come to terms and agreement on all the nitty-gritty issues at which they are at loggerheads from the endorsement of the candidate for prime minister, should they win Putrajaya, to the distribution of seats and to stand on a clear and visible platform projecting unity and an intelligible whole.

Anything less than this will most certainly spell the end of the growth of PR and mostly certainly the death knell will sound on their wishes and aspirations to takeover Putrajaya. Putrajaya is not theirs to lose, unlike the position of BN, Putrajaya can only be secured by PR through the promulgation of a systematic manifesto that is beyond dispute or contention.

Only a manifesto that addresses in full the issues and concerns of Malaysians and which is spelt out in unambiguous language and clearly and easily understood by Malaysians will greatly assist and help PR in their takeover bid of Putrajaya.

Dispense with the theatrics and get down to doing business

If Malaysians are ever to lend support to PR’s bid to gain control of Putrajaya, their leaders should learn to cut out the theatrics and get down to walking the talk as a clear intention and to underline the seriousness of their bid to govern Malaysia.

While to Malaysian’s BN leaders have been tested and tried, and have come out as failures in their trials and tests, for the nation to give an opportunity to PR and its leaders to govern Malaysia, there will have to be a greater show of true ability and capability from PR leaders.

In helping PR leaders prove their mettle, perhaps the achievements and strides and progress that have been made in the states of Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Selangor and indirectly Perak will bolster the confidence of the rakyat in endorsing the claim of PR to govern Malaysia.

The imaging and branding of PR leaders need an urgent and quick makeover to keep up with the expectations of a Malaysian population that is eager to launch deeper into globalization to reap its benefits and to move the nation forward.

Malaysian’s expectations of their political leaders have changed in this new millennium and this is why the results of the last GE in 2008 was a clear and unmistakable message by voters that they will no longer tolerate the inept, corrupt and those with self-seeking ambitions.

If PR hopes to nick the right to govern from Putrajaya they will have to work on undergoing a rapid transformation of the ideals and issues they champion and must be seen as democratic and unwavering in practicing meritocracy and ensuring civil liberties are restored and that they will fulfill the agenda of eliminating corruption and restoring the confidence of the public in the judiciary and other law enforcement agencies.

Only a willingness to strive to bring about reforms that will change the nation for the better and push it forward to attain the status of a great nation will ensure that PR’s bid to govern Malaysia becomes acceptable to Malaysians of all walks of life.

A task made easier

The task of securing governance at Putrajaya by PR is undoubtedly made easier by the fact that BN’s leadership is in crisis and has sunk to an abysmal low. This should cause PR to be in a better position to command the faith and confidence of Malaysians by projecting the right image and positioning themselves to suit the expectations of voters.

The erosion of public support for BN which is befuddled with scandals and rife with corruption is to the greater benefit of PR. PR leaders should learn to set aside their differences, unite and  capitalize on the weakened position of BN to show them the exit from governing Malaysia.

While with each day of delay in holding free and fair polls is to the advantage of PR, the opposition coalition should not underestimate the rising hopes and aspirations of Malaysians in finally being able to see a credible political leadership at the helm of the country after BN’s 55-year fiasco.

PR should not disappoint us Malaysians and in the remaining period prior to the run up to the 13^th GE they will have to pull double and go the distance to secure the votes and the endorsement of the majority of Malaysian voters to govern from Putrajaya.

Malaysia Chronicle