Don’t be dejected by the demise of Pakatan, said Lim Kit Siang
An opposition leader today said that Malaysians should not be dejected or despondent over the ‘death’ of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, but instead focus on new political alignment for the better.
DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang said PR’s demise has caused disappointment but there must be resolve and commitment to continue to pursuit the inclusive ‘Malaysian dream’.
“Although the seven-year PR political struggle has come to an end because of the serious breaches to the PR common policy framework by the PAS leadership, we believe that the ideals and vision of a new Malaysia must remain the primary objectives of the next general elections,” he said in a statement.
He added that this new Malaysia is one with national unity, inter-racial and inter-religious understanding and respect, justice, accountability, good governance, end to corruption and abuses of power, human dignity, good schools, hospitals, housing, transportation system and safe environment for all Malaysians.
“For this purpose, the DAP will work with all like-minded political parties and political forces to bring about a new political alignment committed to these very same principles and vision of a Malaysian dream,” he said.
The coalition PKR, PAS and DAP had fallen through when PAS in its June 4 muktamar decided to cut ties with DAP.
The DAP had in March announced that it is cutting ties with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang over the latters’ insistence on tabling a private members bill in Parliament to enable the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.
As of yesterday, the bill had been finally put in the Parliament order paper, but is not expected to see debate as it is the last matter to be discussed, since government bills always take precedent. In the previous parliamentary sitting in March, Hadi’s bill had also been postponed for the same reason.
Nevertheless, Hadi’s attempts to push hudud through had soured relations between the Islamist PAS and the social-democratic, secular DAP, and the situation came to a head when DAP announced on Tuesday that Pakatan Rakyat “has ceased to exist”.
Lim said that while DAP will not work with the PAS leaders who had violated the PR common policy framework, it is prepared to instead work with those committed to the framework
“The DAP has no time for political charades like the PAS muktamar resolution severing ties with DAP and the call by PAS UIama head, Dr. Mahfodz Mohamad urging the PAS Shura Council to meet soon to discuss the Muktamar motion, when the new Shura Council has not even been formed yet!” he said.
Lim added that the fact that the hudud bill is once again not going to be debated is indicative that Hadi is both being rewarded for his change in political stance to be positive towards Umno, and yet played out by Umno who has no intention of seeing hudud become a reality.
– The Rocket
