Yawn, voters say of Pakatan Harapan’s launch, Anwar as PM

Pakatan Harapan leaders at the launch of the pact on Tuesday. Malaysians seem to greet the Pakatan Rakyat replacement with indifference. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 24, 2015.

Malaysians appear to be lukewarm in their response to the launch of Pakatan Harapan on Tuesday, a political observer said, as well as the naming of jailed former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the new opposition pact’s choice as prime minister.

There seems to be a lack of excitement over Anwar, observers and analyst say, for the man who once inspired thousands to rally in the streets when he was sacked from government but whose name today appears to be losing traction, based on reactions from Internet users on online news portals and social media.

“When Anwar’s name came up as the future prime minister, I didn’t see any excitement. It seems like the public doesn’t care about Anwar any more," said Mohamad Hisomuddin Bakar, the executive director of independent think-tank Ilham Center.

“It appears as if Anwar has lost his wow factor, and the announcement that he would be their future prime minister has had a negative effect.”

Hisomuddin said matters were worsened when Selangor Menteri Besar and PKR deputy president Mohamad Azmin Ali said the state would not be affected by the new pact.

He said Pakatan Harapan appeared weak and Malays felt that even Umno was firmer in its stance.

Comprising PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), Pakatan Harapan was launched  three months after Pakatan Rakyat broke up over unresolved disputes between DAP and PAS.

The obvious difference between Pakatan Rakyat and Pakatan Harapan is the absence of PAS. In its place is newbie Amanah, launched just last week and set up by former leaders of the Islamist party.

Gratifyingly for Amanah, the new pact appears to have been named after the committee established by the splinter party – Gerakan Harapan Baru, or New Hope Movement – which was started after the fallout between PAS’s progressive leaders and its conservative top leadership.

But Pakatan Harapan’s future looks shaky without PAS, which in the past played a key role in winning over the crucial Malay vote for the opposition coalition.

PAS declined to attend Tuesday’s meeting with PKR, DAP and Amanah, where the new pact was announced.

A source told The Malaysian Insider that Azmin, PKR vice-presidents Tian Chua and Nurul Izzah Anwar still wanted PAS to be in the new coalition, but the three were forced to accept the Islamist party’s refusal to work with DAP and Amanah.

The discussion on PAS’s role only came to an end when Amanah committee member and former PAS leader Dr Hatta Ramli spoke up, the source said.

The source said Dr Hatta reminded his peers of the insults PAS had hurled towards him and other colleagues for defending their partners in Pakatan Rakyat, namely DAP and Anwar.

Amanah Youth deputy chief Faiz Fadzil, the son of former PAS president Datuk Fadzil Noor, said he believed Pakatan Harapan could still succeed without PAS, as long as each component remained committed towards the policies they were championing.

“Amanah can replace PAS if the battle for a progressive and inclusive Islam becomes a reality,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

The lawyer also defended the decision to name Anwar as their future prime minister, saying that the PKR de facto chief was the most qualified candidate.

“But as long as he remains imprisoned and ineligible to contest by law, Pakatan Harapan should propose other names who are of the same calibre.”

Meanwhile, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) was not invited to the meeting, prompting its committee member, S. Arutchelvan, to put up a Facebook post questioning the new pact’s desire to be taken seriously.

Arul said instead of naming Anwar as prime minister, the pact should be addressing the fact that the campaign to free him had failed to gain momentum.

Hisomuddin said PSM’s differences with PKR, including Anwar, were the reason it was not invited to the meeting.

“The tussle with PSM over the seats they were contesting in the last general election created problems between PKR and PSM, particularly with Anwar himself.”

- TMI