Pakatan must form one party for all Malaysians

We need a new paradigm: the existing coalition system is no different from BN

COMMENT

By T K Chua

Notwithstanding Pakatan Harapan’s seven principles to avoid infighting and to set a new code of conduct for the opposition coalition, I would still want to say my piece.

Pakatan Harapan politicians just can’t seem to invest for the long term, they only look within the existing paradigm. They are too hurried to be in power, not knowing that power so obtained would not last.

Yes, I am being idealistic. In the short term Pakatan will suffer if it moves away from racial and religious politics, but the coalition cannot do the same thing as BN but hope for a different result.

Why replace PAS with Amanah? What is the logic here, if not to continue with politics based on race and religion? Pakatan politicians must be thinking rural populations can’t change, and forever must be fed with religion and conservatism to gain their support.

Why not take the opportunity of the existing imbroglio with PAS to form a single giant party which includes existing parties in Pakatan as well as those disenchanted members from BN? Why continue with the existing coalition system, which seems no different to me from BN?

I think most of us know why. They probably want the common policies but they also want rural conservative votes. Hence the half measures in all and sundry, wanting to include PAS and Amanah at the same time. I just don’t understand: do PAS and Amanah have the monopoly of Malay support in the rural areas? Can nothing ever be done without them?

I think Pakatan is fighting ignorance by “competing” with BN to keep the rural people ignorant, fighting bigotry by “appealing” to their misguided beliefs, fighting parochialism and racism by “implying” that rural people are special and different from others.

This is not the way to go for this country. It will only bring us to the Stone Age.

It is time for the new paradigm, time for Pakatan to merge into a single party.

It is time for this party not to compete on ignorance but to fight ignorance with education and enlightenment. It is 2016: I believe it is possible to change the thinking of rural people if serious effort is put into it. Educate and enlighten, don’t reinforce their ignorance.

I believe religious beliefs can be made more humane and less hard-line. Again it is a matter of education and inculcation by leaders who are willing to take the longer term approach.

I also believe people can be made less racial and parochial if political parties and leaders are willing to practise what they preach.

I believe politics and leadership must be able to change people. If not, then nothing will.

Pakatan leaders like to talk about good governance, transparency and a corruption-less society but these will not happen if people remain ignorant, insular and conservative. Whichever coalition comes into power will exploit the division, the ignorance and the conservatism of the people.

I don’t think Pakatan could ever fight Umno-BN using the same strategy. Pakatan must find a new paradigm: a paradigm that gives the Malays the core leadership and their rights as provided for in the Federal Constitution, while not paying only lip service to egalitarianism, multiracialism, multiculturalism and liberalism.

It is the duty of all right minded Malaysians to bring this country back from the brink. There is no further need for warlords in DAP, PKR, Amanah or PAS. The leaders and the parties must become smaller, so that the cause of the country can become bigger.

Form a single party and let Malaysians join it with a common aspiration and a common objective. Don’t let Malaysians join DAP because it is Chinese dominated, PKR because it is like Umno, and Amanah or PAS because of its religious credentials or orientation.

We must forge a common aspiration, not just want the desire to get rid of a common enemy.