MARCH 24 — One of the notable moves by PAS during the now infamous Kajang move was to resolutely deny Ms. Wan Azizah the opportunity to become Selangor mentri besar.
Not only did their exco members continue to serve under Khalid Ibrahim after the others resigned, they were the only Pakatan Rakyat (PR) component party to submit three names to the Sultan for consideration as the next MB as opposed to only Azmin Ali by the others.
Rafizi Ramli’s much derided strategy to get rid of Khalid was the start of the infighting and bickering within PR that has gone on and culminated in the current hudud row. Analysts have provided all manner of explanations for this fiasco from it being part of Umno’s divide and rule strategy to a return to PAS’s original Islamist stance after the disappointment of the moderate experiment with the result of GE 13.
Whatever be the case, one thing is very clear; an enormous fault line has appeared within the PR coalition. On the one hand are the DAP and PKR championing their Malaysian Malaysia and needs-based affirmative action messages, and PAS making a decisive push towards demonstrating its commitment to a theocratic Islamic state by its Hudud Bill.
This massive chasm can no longer be papered over under the guise of a Common Policy Framework (CPR), as PAS has clearly prioritised spiritual salvation over the economic, given the contrast between the speed of its flood relief measures and speed in pushing through its hudud measures.
A CPR can only work if it is the paramount priority of its signatories. PAS has now clearly signalled where its priorities lie and even more significantly, where it expects its political support to come from in the future.
Mere hatred of the opposing side is certainly not enough of a proposition for an electoral proposition.
More than ABU (Asal Bukan Umno), voters need to see how any alternative can work together to make their lives better.
When the visions of the partners of what constitutes a better future are so far apart, it is hard to see any meaningful common ground apart from a lust for power.
The PAS vision of a Muslim theocracy complete with amputation, strict segregation of the sexes and rule by the Ulama is the complete antithesis of what the supporters of DAP and PKR believe they want to see in Malaysia moving forward.
Keeping religion out of government and encouraging economic growth by attracting foreign investment cannot jive with ultra Islamist notions.
But instead of panic, handwringing and Umno bashing, PKR and DAP need to see this moment as a golden opportunity to make a clear case to the electorate for their vision for Malaysia.
If Pakatan Rakyat is reduced to these two parties they will actually be able to offer a much more cohesive contrast to a Umno-PAS alternative.
In the last couple of years, Umno has systematically made the idea of Barisan Nasional redundant by emasculating MCA and MIC from any role in policy decision making and showcasing its racial and religious credentials as being equal to PAS. Logically then, if PAS leaves Pakatan, Umno must try and make common cause with PAS.
So if PAS leaves or is kicked out of Pakatan, will Umno adopt the PAS agenda as its own and cede all its pretensions towards centrism and inclusion epitomised by the now dead 1 Malaysia symbolism?
All the signs are that it will not, citing Constitutional barriers. The real reason of course could be that they don’t actually believe their own rhetoric to the point of actually supporting the creation of an Islamist theocracy in Malaysia.
But it will still be left in the uncomfortable hard right position of a Malay-Muslim supremacist party that it has now firmly established after GE 13 with the help of Perkasa and ISMA.
Whether they formalise it or not, along with PAS, they are now firmly in the camp of those seeking entrenched supremacy of one race and religion in Malaysia.
The crackdown on the leaders of the #Kitalawan rallies and the perception of selective prosecution and political persecution are signs of a government unsure of its support. For a PAS-less PR, all of this can only be good news.
Not only can it now fearlessly espouse its vision of an inclusive, fairer, needs-based system which jettisons the race- and religion-based vision of its opponents, it also espouses a freer, more just society that is based on a fair application of the rule of law. One that is committed to a merit-based education and employment system that helps the weakest in society and upholds the dignity and rights of women.
Whether it helps them win the next election or not, in the long run it will firmly set Malaysia on course for a two-party political system with clearly defined principles, beliefs and policies. Neither side will be able to have its cake and eat it too, by being inclusive one day and racist the next, Malay first one day and Malaysian first the next.
When the two alternatives are on opposite sides of almost every issue, what emerges is a clear cut choice.
That is the real opportunity for the Malaysian voter of the future.
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
