WHO WILL LEAD PAKATAN AFTER ANWAR?

The Malaysian Times

The Federal Court will hear the appeal of Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy case next week. Political analysts are of the opinion that PKR and Pakatan Rakyat need to map out new strategies for post-Anwar era.

Sin Chew Daily reported political analyst Tan Ah Chai saying that if Anwar were to go to jail, PKR’s deputy president cum Selangor MB Azmin Ali would likely become the successor.

He told Sin Chew Daily if Azmin made good use of the power in his hands, he would be the most likely person to lead PKR and Pakatan.

He said, as a matter of fact, there have been talks within the party for a successor to take over Anwar’s place in case the verdict is unfavorable to Anwar.

“If Anwar were to go to jail and lose his leadership power, who will coordinate the conflicts and strategies among Pakatan parties?

“PKR and Pakatan are unwilling to talk about this seriously because they do not want to instill a bad impression before a verdict is passed down.

“But if they don’t do so now, the existing support might become shaky.”

Tan said party president Wan Azizah has all this while served only as the spiritual leader of PKR, while Anwar is the de facto leader, adding that Wan Azizah’s competency in handling the Selangor MB issue had been anything but desirable.

Collective leadership

In addition to Azmin Ali, Tan said DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, and PAS’ deputy president Mat Sabu, are also potential future leaders of Pakatan.

However, given the country’s political reality that Pakatan’s chief leader must be a Malay, the probability of Azmin taking over Anwar’s place is the highest.

“If Anwar really goes to jail, Pakatan should adopt collective leadership during the transitional phase whereby key leaders from each component party should form a committee to map out the pact’s directions and strategies.

“During such a transitional phase, leaders from all parties have the opportunity to display their leaderships. In the past Anwar was too strong that the other leaders’ style and their strengths were largely obscured.”

He said Pakatan could not exist without a leader. Indeed it needs several leaders to take over the role of Anwar Ibrahim to coordinate the conflicts and contradictions among the component parties.

Kit Siang, Hadi not suitable to lead Pakatan

Tan pointed out that although Lim Kit Siang and Hadi Awang are leaders of their respective parties, they are not suitable to lead Pakatan due to their personal ideologies, characters and styles.

According to him, Lim is highly sensitive to existing political situations and is quick to respond to changes. However, he has never acted as a coordinator.

“Moreover, to a large extent he has started to bow out and let his son take over party and Pakatan affairs.”

As for Hadi Awang, Tan believe PAS would definitely fight for Pakatan leadership in the absence of Anwar. Nevertheless, Hadi is overzealous and conservative in religious matters without substantial policies for issues pertaining to national economy. He is unlikely to be accepted by PKR and DAP as the common leader of Pakatan Rakyat.

“PAS secretary-general Datuk Ali, meanwhile, is an interest-minded veteran politician with unpredictable stands.”

Tan also mentioned the likelihood of PAS deputy president Mat Sabu leading Pakatan Rakyat, instead of Hadi Awang, because of his good relationship with other Pakatan leaders.

However, he asserted that due to the deepening conflicts between the liberals and conservatives within the party, the statement of any leader would only represent half of the party.

Although Mat Sabu is the party’s deputy president, he doesn’t hold the real power. He held very different views from Hadi Awang over the Selangor MB crisis, and it remains to be seen whether he can be accepted by the conservatives within the party.

Premature to discuss heir now

DAP’s organizing secretary Anthony Loke said Pakatan had yet to meet and discuss the successor of Anwar, although he believed Pakatan would not split just because Anwar has to go to jail.

He said PKR’s leadership should be decided by PKR and other component parties should not interfere.

He said although Anwar has served as Pakatan’s supreme leader thus far, Pakatan has been operating in a collective leadership mode, and all the major decisions by Pakatan must be agreed by all the three parties.

“DAP hopes Anwar will be a free man again in next week’s appeal, and it is premature now to talk about Anwar’s successor.”

He added that Pakatan’s common leader needs not come from PKR.