Parti Bersama Malaysia skips the Negeri Sembilan state election, so Pakatan Harapan can no longer falsely blame the yellow T-shirts if they are defeated.
Anyway, that was a fake excuse as Malaysiakini reported the main reason for Harapan’s defeat in Johor was the PAS-BN racial alliance strategy, which is being repeated in Negeri Sembilan.
Apart from Bersama’s resource constraints, their “time out” could be because caretaker menteri besar Aminuddin Harun and Rafizi Ramli were allies in PKR.
Aminuddin seems like a decent and humble guy, unlike the PAS braggart and troll in Kedah. He has been quietly doing his work with neither fanfare nor scandal.
The only ruckus was the dispute this year over who should be the state’s ruler.
On this issue, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke labelled the state’s Umno leaders as “traitors and rebels” against the state’s constitutional monarchy.
Ruler outspoken against corruption
Was Umno the hidden hand behind the attempt by the undangs (traditional state chieftains) to overthrow the state ruler, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir?
A former Court of Appeal judge and a senior lawyer both noted there was no proper inquiry, as required by the state constitution. Nor were concrete reasons given by the undangs.
Tuanku Muhriz has carried himself with dignity. He is not known to demand big shares of state development projects, nor has he physically assaulted anybody.
Instead, he has been outspoken against corruption. He was the first ruler to revoke Najib Abdul Razak’s datukship way back in October 2018.
That was a clear royal statement against (then heavily suspected) corruption, way before Najib was convicted.
Early this year, Tuanku Muhriz said corruption is the “foremost enemy” of justice, trust and the nation’s future.
His Highness added that he was “shocked and disheartened” that some still rally behind individuals found guilty of serious corruption offences, as if such acts were “acceptable or forgivable”.
Without mentioning names, the ruler was clearly referring to Umno, which still supports Najib. No wonder that party is angry with Tuanku!
The kleptocrat has been jailed, but some states have still not withdrawn his titles, which is, of course, their royal prerogative that cannot be questioned.
But I wonder if prison officers call Najib “Datuk Seri” while bowing down to kiss his hand in feudal servitude?
The D-card of ‘derhaka’
There is another word for being a “traitor and rebel” against royalty. It’s called “derhaka” or “treason”.
The D-word is quickly used against DAP leaders who merely point out the legal fact that royal powers are limited by the Federal Constitution, as Tony Pua did in May.
Of course it is. Otherwise, rulers would have absolute power like in Brunei, and there would be no need to hold elections.
Surely even the Malay supremacy “warriors” want polls so that they can grab juicy, powerful positions to enrich their cronies, right?
Similarly, when DAP’s Seri Kembangan assemblyperson Wong Siew Ki asked Selangor to consider (not demand) modern pig farming, Perikatan Nasional leaders went berserk in brandishing the D-card.
Yet when former Bersatu (now recycled into the Parti Wawasan Negara party) leader Rais Yatim backed an open rebellion against the Negeri Sembilan ruler, there were strangely no screams of “treason”.
Nor was there any such hysteria when PAS openly defied the Selangor sultan over the Bon Odori festival in 2022.
Similarly, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang simply ignored the Terengganu royal ban on using mosques and surau for political speeches.
But when non-Muslim leaders make the slightest squeak, the full sledgehammer whacks them into submission. The double standards over the D-word are painfully obvious.
That’s why I am glad that Loke has been bold enough to invoke royal “betrayal” in Negeri Sembilan.
Stab in the back
The royal drama was on top of what Loke called Umno’s “stab in the back” to topple the Harapan state government and Aminuddin, after both agreed to be allies even before the last state elections.
I see it as deeply ironic that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has bent over backwards for 3.5 years to please Umno and weaken his own reformasi agenda, including allowing racists to roam freely as attack hounds.
And then, as Harapan became weaker while the reptile grew stronger, it turned around to bite Anwar.
As the Malays say, “padan muka” (serves him right). Anwar “deserved it” for his short-sighted political vision, foolishly believing that Harapan and BN would live “happily ever after” into the next election.
However, was it just sheer "coincidence" that the double overthrow attempts - against both the state ruler and Harapan - came together?
Fourteen Umno assemblypersons withdrew support from Aminuddin in April, claiming the menteri besar had bungled the royal dispute.
But the close timing of the twin attacks is just too suspicious. And so many Malaysiakini readers believe that the palace dispute shows Umno’s “true colours”.
Sadly, PN was also involved in the brouhaha, in the name of so-called “Malay unity”.
But even if the marriage of convenience between PAS and Umno secures victory this time, I am convinced the two parties will eventually fight over the “ghanimah” or “spoils of war”.
After all, greed for power was what led to Bersatu backstabbing its partner PAS in Perlis, which led to the end of their six-year political marriage.
Bersama rests, regroups
Coming back to Bersama, it is clear that a major reason for the party to skip the state polls is due to their limited resources.
They refuse to be bought over by tycoons’ money. They rely on unpaid volunteers and fundraising dinners. Yes, losing all 15 election deposits in Johor hurts.
Harapan people can mock Bersama for that but they should not forget that seven PKR and Amanah candidates also lost their deposits in Johor.
PN did even worse, losing deposits in 19 of 33 Johor seats they contested.
Isn’t it more shameful for well-established parties to lose deposits? In contrast, Bersama was barely 40 days old when it entered the fray.
Many in Bersama are tired after the gruelling non-stop Johor election campaign – working on a shoestring budget with limited volunteers. They deserve a break.
Maybe it was a mistake to contest 15 seats in Johor soon after the party was set up.
There was too little time to prepare and for people to get to know the candidates and the kancil, or mousedeer logo. For example, some people asked, “Apa parti rusa ni” (what is this deer party?).
With more time, candidates can work the ground earlier, and perhaps, Bersama can do better in Malacca.
So let Team Bersama rest, refresh and regroup first. As Sun Tzu’s Art of War says, "He who knows when to fight and when not to fight will win.” - Mkini
ANDREW SIA is a veteran journalist who likes teh tarik khau kurang manis. You are welcome to give him ideas to brew at tehtarik@gmail.com.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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