DEADPAN COMEDY (PUN INTENDED)

By Mak Khuin Weng

In Malaysia, politics is a source of drama that even the best TV series cannot rival: intrigue, scandals and backstabbing treachery aplenty. But sometimes our political parties offer periodic episodes of humour.

Our comedy series starts with Penang Parti Amanah Negara (PAN) chief Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa’s (pic) statement that PAS is either with Pakatan Harapan or with Umno.

When PAN gave the ultimatum of “you are either with us or against us”, there should be a follow up of what the consequences are. The problem is, there is hardly any consequence for PAS if it were not part of Pakatan.

On the contrary, PAS already showed that they are capable of mobilising 60,000 supporters to rally for their cause, while the combined might of DAP, PKR, PAN and PPBM could only muster 40,000 to attend Bersih 5.

Given the lack of any credible threat to PAS, Mujahid’s statement has to be a joke (that you do not know whether to laugh or cry to).

PAS the Tyrant

Next on PAN’s comedy show is this complaint:

“PAS village heads, assemblymen, council members, executive councillors, they are the ones stopping us from giving talks in mosques. Some of their councillors are stopping us from using their halls,” Selangor PAN communications director Jamzuri Ardani said.

This complaint was also part of a plea to Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali to do more to recognise PAN as a component party of Pakatan Harapan.

Think about it; PAN needs a third party to right a perceived wrong, meaning there is little PAN can do without PKR’s help. How is that not an admission that PAN is being bullied by PAS?

As an added bonus, Jamzuri said PAN would protect DAP from Umno. If PAN is getting bullied by PAS now, what makes them believe that they could protect DAP from a much bigger and meaner Umno? Or maybe that’s the joke?

Punchline: Umno Wins

But the show must go on and the script writer for the next comedic episode is Federal Territory PAN chairman Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli who pledged that PAN would contest in all PAS seats.

Perhaps the idea is to build upon PAN’s underdog status, the bullied party that eventually rises up to triumph over big bully PAS.

But this script was used before by PAN president Mohamad Sabu during the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections not too long ago, and the only result from PAN’s bitter fight with PAS was two convincing victories for Umno.

Or is that the real purpose of fighting PAS and the punchline to this sordid joke is that PAN just wants to hand over all the seats to Umno on a silver platter?

An absurdity is a thing that is extremely unreasonable, so as to be foolish or not taken seriously, or the state of being so. That description is lifted off Wikipedia, and it is most apt when applied to all the statements coming out from PAN leaders. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the joke.