A New Pakatan in the offing? — Lim Sue Goan

JUNE 18 — The Pakatan Rakyat crisis stemming from PAS’ reneging on the common policy framework has finally arrived at a critical moment. Will PAS head for a split or will a new political party take the place of PAS in Pakatan Rakyat? Will the New Pakatan Rakyat take shape smoothly?

Even though the PAS muktamar has adopted the motion to sever ties with DAP, the party’s leaders still hold an ambiguous stand. It doesn’t really matter whether a reversal of mind is possible for the PAS ulamas, the relationship between these two parties has already come to a determined conclusion.

I believe the PAS leadership is still weighing the consequences of severing ties with DAP, including possible loss of Selangor state administration and mass exodus of party members.

With Datuk Seri Najib Razak coming under merciless onslaught of Tun Mahathir Mohamad, the PM needs more than anything else to consolidate his support from BN’s component parties, and it is therefore unlikely he will work with PAS.

PAS is an established party with over a million members and significant influences over the country’s Muslim community. Within the opposition pact, the party acts a reckoned force to counter the advances of Umno. Consequently, if DAP were to work with PKR to form a new alliance, they will need to seek another ally that can take the place of PAS in order to fill the vacuum.

Following the conservatives’ clean sweep in the recent party elections, PasMa president Phahrolrazi Zawawi announced that the organization would now be changed into a political party, and had subsequently invited PKR and DAP to form a “New Pakatan Rakyat.”

But, does PasMa have what it takes to replace PAS?

For PKR to give up PAS in order to form a new alliance with DAP, first and foremost it has to be certain that the Selangor state administration is intact, and this will include PasMa to first rope in PAS assemblymen to jump ship to the new party or support the new pact. Secondly, PasMa must also have the capacity to rally the support of pro-Pakatan PAS members to quit the old party en masse and join the new entity.

PasMa must also be able to convince the public of their devotion to the new Pakatan.

The biggest conflict between PAS and its Pakatan allies has been the party’s uncompromising goal to set up an Islamic State, and consequently PasMa must not incorporate religious elements into its policy statement and must adhere to Pakatan’s principle of democracy.

Phahrolrazi claims that PasMa will be more liberal, and will even accept the admission of non-Muslims. This shows that PasMa has positioned itself as a multiracial party that puts it ahead of both Umno and PAS.

Secondly, PasMa must have a core person that can get the multitude of disenchanted Umno and PAS members to hop over to the new party. For instance during the 1987 Umno infighting culminating in the court’s declaration of Umno as an illegal entity on February 4, 1988, Mahathir instantly set up the New Umno while Tengku Razaleigh’s supporters formed Semangat 46 which Ku Li later joined and led.

Without Ku Li, no one would give a heed to Semangat 46, and no opposition parties would ever think of forming an alliance with it.

PasMa therefore needs more than anything else the participation of Mat Sabu, Salahuddin Ayub, Husam Musa, Mahfuz Omar, Nizar Jamaluddin, Khalid Abdul Samad, and the like to become a reckoned force in Malaysian politics.

Thirdly, a prerequisite for any political party is firm resolution to stay strong in the event of unexpected setback. Semangat 46 was dissolved in 1996 after suffering major setbacks in two consecutive general elections. PasMa must be able to stand the test of time.

Historically all splintered units from PAS have not lasted long. After a split in the party in 1977, a batch of dissidents set up Berjasa while in the 1983 infightng, Hamin was formed, but both soon vanished.

PasMa can only emerge as a political force strong enough to unseat the existing BN administration if the party has truly exceptional leaders, explicit policies consistent with the needs of the society and ability to win over the hearts of the public.

The Malay community indeed needs a new guiding force at a time Umno is being thrown into commotion and PAS is drawing back.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.