Take the bull by the horns and fix PKR
November 29, 2010
Anwar, take the bull by the horns and fix PKR
by Terence Netto@www.malaysiakini.com
COMMENT The hour has come for Anwar Ibrahim to match deed to word. This now rapidly receding year has been one of dismal frailty in his party, what with defections, resignations and disruptions that have sown doubt about the party’s capability to lead the agenda of political change for the country.
A party seemingly smoothing along nice and easy has been badly thrown off-stride, afflicted by confidence-eroding jerks and twitches.
Out of the discontinuity between the image it aspires to create – its capacity for a lead role in governing the country – and the reality that is less grand – disarray in its ranks and defective mechanisms in its administration – comes the opportunity for grand retrieval.
Where there is crisis there must also be opportunity. A grand recovery is what is required of Anwar to slide back to the top of the wave for change he campaigned for intensively three years ago and that was partly consummated in the tsunami of March 2008.
Lapses and slips are par for the course in a political career. But when these are allowed prolonged tenancy, they erode gains made earlier and destroy reputations long in the making.
After a torrid exercise in leader-selection that tried to enshrine the most radical principle yet in Malaysian democratic politics – direct voting by party members of its principal office-bearers – the PKR supremo must make the remaining days to the year a period of unequivocal action rather than prevarication.
Anwar’s month of decisive action
These actions could begin with the appointment of a new secretary-general, one of professional administrative bent, uninterested in a personal career in politics.
PKR needs such a person in this critical role, to insulate the nerve centre of the party from the vagaries of the factional battles that democratic parties are prone to.
Anwar’s month of decisive action could continue with the selection of a new election director because the current one (Fuziah Salleh, right) has now a party veep position to take care of in addition to the defense of her MP-ship of Kuantan, not an easy seat to secure in the next general election.
The top range to this activist response to crisis would be the appointment of Dr Jeffrey Kitingan to the post of chief selector of candidates for all the seats PKR intends to contest in Sabah, and not just the seats with a Kadazan-Dusun-Murut majority.
This move would effectively forestall what is being anticipated through the resignation the other day from PKR of Philip Among, Jeffrey’s chief aide. The resignation is a harbinger of disintegration to the party’s Sabah chapter. Other moves would include the naming of a respected luminary in socio-political society to the chairmanship of PKR’s disciplinary committee.
Last but not least, Anwar ought to outline what should be done for the education of Dr Molly Cheah , PKR’s hapless party election monitor who has had a role akin to the retired Tony Blair’s in the Middle East peace process – a walk-on role of embarrassing nullity.
More like the bull has turned around and took Matador Anwar by his balls.
Mr Bean - November 29, 2010 at 11:00 am
I really hope that Wan Azizah or Anwar will not put the wrong person at the wrong place. The moments the members smell nepotism, and all the “batil” I think that sign of unhealthy reaction will surface. Good luck Anwar and Wan Azizah.
Sulaiman Yusof. - November 29, 2010 at 11:10 am
Pakatan supporters are putting all their hopes on only Anwar can save malaysia, as if there is no more leaders in Malaysia.
What about people like RPK, Malik Imtiaz. Harris Ibrahim and etc.etc.
Anwar never made any reform for the people when he was in UMNO and now PKR is plague with tainted votes. Looks like I have to change ship too, just like the others katak-katak.
Hope RPK ship is ready for us to board.
Anak Malaysia Kedah. - November 29, 2010 at 11:20 am
Taking the bull by the horns is a dangerous proposition. You may want to reconsider and approach it from the rear and take it by its teats.
Mr Bean - November 29, 2010 at 11:39 am
Mongkut Bean
Must be the rainbow bulls. Bulls don’t have teats?. Bulls have bolaks. Must be something you ate for Thanksgiving.
Isn’t it a little too late now that the bullls have bolted from the PKoRall?
semper fi - November 29, 2010 at 12:01 pm
“Where there is crisis there must also be opportunity.”
Bro Anwar These are the opportunity
1) You can start leading from the front. To hell with your sodominy problem, if you go to jail you will be out when the opposition is at PJ (unless you are not sure that they will do you this favor-in which case better to give up your politics)
2) Enlist the cream of candidates available, like Haris, Malik Imtaz Din Merican and a host of Malays who are settled in the US and overseas. only to name a few. Dont fall into the trap of the GE 12, when a photographer was elected to parliament!! ( the Korek Korek Korek photographer) Dont become a laughing stock as the opposition was after winning the GE12.
This might be known to you but there are many other things you can do if you put your thinking caps on.
Brian - November 29, 2010 at 12:50 pm
To me, PKR is a bull in a china shop.
Pak Abu - November 29, 2010 at 1:02 pm
“..PKR is a bull in a china shop.”
China shop?
But the Chinapek ain’t bolting yet. Not from PR as a whole. They’re pragmatic, not overly idealistic and are watching with great fascination the internal machineries creaking and groaning. It seems that the only people barking up the tree are flurs like me. Perhaps one day, i shall evolve in a climbing tree dog.
Menyalak-er - November 29, 2010 at 1:47 pm
The so called Long March to P[uta jaya, is along a Pot-holes ridden road!…besides one can expect that there would be ‘road-side’ bombs planted at varous intervals along this hazardous journey. There fore to make this rather hazadous journey You need everyone on board!!…not just soime of your Favourites!!
nathan - November 29, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Annwar has to match deed to word. Speaking of democracy and the Rule of Law is one thing, implementing these high ideals against all odds is quite another amidst our poisonous political environment back home.
He must not loose momentum and not be distracted by anything else. The focus must be on change and he must show the people he is interested in real change.I have empathy for him , he looks tired ( from the photos) ,no one could ever go through what he has and come out alive at the other end .He has gone through the worst injustice ever, however he must not be distracted.
Kathy - November 29, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Brian, no politics for me. I am happy to be at the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research doing work on policy issues.–Din Merican
dinobeano - November 29, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Bro Din, tszt tszt, modesty!!. Anyway let the third force be at PJ.
Brian - November 29, 2010 at 5:37 pm
I think Azmin and Wan Azizah got it right for PKR. This is judged by the vulgar animosity of PERKASA against what Azmin and Wan Azizah said.
If you want to know whether PKR is on right path, listen to PERKASA and UMNO. The more filth they throw at PKR, the better the chances PKR can win more seats in Parliament.
Once Perkasa and UMNO praises PKR, the PKR is on the slippery downward slope into oblivion.
I guess there is still hope in PKR with Azmin as No.2.
For those who gave up hope on PKR in the GE, they should go and jump into the South China Sea. Not in the Indian Ocean because that is the route taken by Kerala residents to come to Kedah.
Frank - November 29, 2010 at 7:11 pm
It is time now for PKR to differentiate and to be seen very distinct from UMNO. That is measured by how rile up is Perkasa.
At the moment, there is little to distinguish betweenn UMNO and Perkasa. The closer UMNO is seen to Perkasa, the less attractive BN-UMNO to the non Malays.
PKR should now build its own base of Malay supporters. Those who are wiliing to take the road of a different kind of politics of UMNO. There are many.. and these closeted Malays waiting for a Malay leader willing to stake and speak out loudly that position.
Azmin and Wan Azizah’s uncompromising comments on UMNO’s politics for Malay supremacy is a step in the right direction.
PKRn will NOT win those Malays who are already pedisposed to UMNO’s racist politics. Therefore there is no need to try to win their votes, it will be too expensive in terms of resources and time.
PKR should go out for those Malay votes who are pretty sick and tired of UMNO’s 50 years of race-based politics and racist policies now proven to be a detriment to to the long term interests of the country and to the long term interests of the Malays themselves. UMNO’s condoning of Perkasa’s racist rhetoric should be made to come to haunt UMNO in the election campaign.
PKR leadership should strike out a platform which Malays and NON Malays voters can distinguish clearly the difference in policies, and in its politics from UMNO.
That is what it takes to take the bull by the horns.
Be VERY different from UMNO’s MALAY politics. PKR’s only chance of redeeming its integrity is to stay on the right side of history and avoid being populist. UMNO had the chance to do that but instead it found itself on the WRONG side of history.
PKR must come across the voters’ mind as a principled political party, not only to the non Malays but to the Malays.It must be a party that is willing to be seen as unpopular while calling for the better angel in every Malay, Chinese, Indian or Iban etc.
Frank - November 29, 2010 at 7:26 pm
“Must be the rainbow bulls. Bulls don’t have teats?.” U.S. Amrine ‘semper fi’
Some bulls do. Just like some men do. But you’re right I must have had one teat too many over Thanksgiving. Turkey teats?
Mr Bean - November 29, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Reading through quickly Wan Azizah’s speech (yes, “Anwar is God’s gift to Malaysia” that one) I find it no different from any other speech given by an UMNO member. There is the usual beef about the poor Malays not receiving their share of the economic pie etc etc. The tone and the tenor is the same as you would expect to hear given by an UMNO division chief. The emphasis may be slightly different but again it is the kind of speech you would make to one audience predominantly from one race rather than another. It is politics of race in another form.
Like Clausewitz said about war: War is diplomacy by other means.
Mr Bean - November 29, 2010 at 9:40 pm
I’m not bullish at all about Malaysia making the transition away from the politics of race and religion. It will be more of the same for the next five decades at least. By then many of us here would have met our 72 virgins and moved on.
Mr Bean - November 30, 2010 at 12:06 am
When you sound like that nincompoop from PERKASA, you’re actually an UMNO clone. Join Harris, he and that guy are twins.
anon - November 30, 2010 at 12:12 am
Mongkut Bean,
Malay politicians cannot escape from the trap of framing their thoughts and discourse in Malay idiom. Be it PKR or UMNO,or even PAS for that matter, it is the same battle for the hearts and minds and votes of the Malay heartland.
Leadership (elitist) and followership (slavish) are seen as separate since Malay society is still feudal. To me, leaders cannot be separated from followers, for without followership, there is no leadership. I am talking about servant leadership, or democratic leadership. Or could I be wrong?
The Malay elite thinks that it is their God given right to rule; they cannot connect with ordinary folks, no empathy for the poor and isolated. It is always talking from a pulpit, looking down upon the masses and saying in not too many “I know all, you wise up” . Even HRH the Sultan of Selangor is caught in this manner of discourse. Then I wonder why you single out Wan Azizah. After all, she is as political (not apolitical) as the rest of the Malay elite.–Din Merican
dinobeano - November 30, 2010 at 5:42 am
Me? Singling out Wan Azizah? I have no beef with her.
While on the subject of her controversial remark about her husband being God’s gift to Malaysia, I noticed the tone and tenor of her speech is no different from that of any UMNO division chief. It is about more of the same i.e. race. If we are genuine about wanting to get away from race, then let us not lace speeches with issues of race (and religion).
Americans have come a long way, and still they have not been able to bury the issue of race. But at least they have their Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to fall back on. Americans today do not refer to themselves as white Americans, black Americans and Hispanic Americans. About the only time when they are called to do so is when they are filling up the census report once every five years. Any governmental classification along racial lines would fall foul of the Fourteenth Amendment and be struck down.
If we are genuine, if the Malay PKR leadership is genuine about rising above the issue of race and take the country in another direction, if Najib’s 1Malaysia is not to be an empty slogan, you guys gotta stop talking about race ad nauseam. It is as simple as that.
It is hard to stop thinking as Indians, Chinese and Malays when you have had five decades of being exposed to this shit. For a start opposition politicians, political and social and human rights activists can make a bonfire of all documents of identity with race and religion on it. When you are next called to fill up forms with race and religion on them, just refuse to fill those spaces. That is the only way to test the country’s ‘equality before the law’ provision of our Constitution.
The other is for our politicians and leaders to just stop talking about race.
Mr Bean - November 30, 2010 at 8:43 am
The day when Malaysians refer to Betty Swallocks as being no relation to aunt Betty but to a race horse i.e. about the only time when race becomes relevant, that will be the day to rejoice.
Mr Bean - November 30, 2010 at 8:56 am
Yo guys – what you think of Nazri the Billiard’s analysis of the ‘Ketuanan’ slogan:
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/nazri-says-malay-supremacy-wrongly-interpreted/
I’m actually quite partial to this interpretation, seeing that “Race” will never be seriously dealt with, to anybody’s satisfaction.
Menyalak-er - November 30, 2010 at 11:39 am
Screw all the race-based political parties.
One way of screwing them is NOT to vote any of its candidates.
It is not that you don’t like UMNO, MCA or MIC, it is that you must front up your hatred for race-based parties especially in Malaysia.
We can NEVER mature as a nation if we continue to see our fellow citizens in terms of race. And the race based parties which have been ruling this country since 1956 had ingrained Malaysians to think themselves in terms of their RACE rather than in terms of nationality ie Malaysian.
How can you have an idiot as a Deputy Prime Minister who publicly announced he is Malay FIRST and Malaysian second!!.
If you have idiots as leaders, then you become idiots as followers. And that is what get out of every UMNO member, and by extension, by every Malaysian.
I say again, SCREW ALL THE RACE BASED POLITICAL PARTIES. SCREW THEM AND THEN SHOVED THEM DOWN INTO THE TOILET.
Frank - November 30, 2010 at 8:28 pm
To begin with, I would like to maintain consistency with my comments dated Nov 24 on ” Rulers For All Malaysians, not Raja-Raja Melayu ” by Senator Tunku A Aziz, Nov. 2
If we indulge in invectives & irrational arguements, we are only letting up ourselves into indignity ( malaysians as a whole )
I suggest that we face this in a cool & rational manner from a ” legal ” perspective on this rather unfortunate term ” Ketuanan Melayu ” which really is a misnomer or a misconception, coined by over-zealous politicians for ” political ” manupulations of the hearts & minds of INNOCENT rakyats – wished it could have been a different or a better term in the proper context of the constitution.
( See : “Ketuanan Melayu is not part of the Merdeka Deal”, Prof Clive S Kessler, New South Wales Univ. Oct 23 posting). Legally, what he says is true, that it was NOT part of the so-called ” social contract ” . But what remains true is that when ” Tanah Melayu ” was ” conveyed ” ( transferred) by the Malay Rulers ( as the repository of power on behalf of the Malays) to the new entity ” Malaysia ” as the ” Transferee”, it was agreed as the Quid Pro Quo on the Special Rights of the Malays (Malay Privileges) to be embodied in Article 153. As Malaysians we should honour & not renege from that : it was merely a masterpiece in social engineering to correct IMBALANCES left by the British. Conversely, since everybody is a Malaysian, the malay-malaysian cannot renege and stigmatise chinese- or indian-malysians as ” pendatang”.
” Ketuanan ” ? No, not in the sense of Malay Supremacy, but in the sense of ” Preferential ” treatment only in so far as to correct the imbalances, malays given special privileges, education, businesses, in ” exchange” for giving up ” Tanah Melayu ” – Hence the imperative of upholding the Title & Honorific “Raja-Raja Melayu ” ( although The Rulers are also ” Rulers For All Malaysians” ).
To avoid controversies we have no choice but to go by legalities…
Abnizar7 - December 1, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Abnizar7
Your arguments on Ketuanan are circular and long-winded … or colloquially termed as ‘beating around the same old dirty bush”
Be more succinct and precise next time so that it is easier to the neurons to capture what you are really trying hard to make us understand your train of thoughts.
Frank - December 2, 2010 at 3:28 am
No, its an unfortunate choice of word by some politicians, and malaysians have hijacked it to mean ” supremacy “, ” predominance” as a negative connotation ! It should not have been the word for the purport & intent of Article 153.
It is now truly more a question of sincerity on the part of all Malaysians
Abnizar7 - December 2, 2010 at 7:28 am
Ibrahim Ali truly missed the point about this demeaning word ” Ketuanan ” in his press release ( NST 3rd November) – No wonder PKR President Wan Azizah slammed him –
He doest not understand that it is not only denigrating, its a ” misnomer ” deliberately coined by mainstream BN politicians to make the innocent rakyats feel ” complacent ” & HAPPY, whilst the few top VVIPs rake in all the “under-table” illicit monies in mega projects through inflated costs by vendors & contractors..etc etc.
It is deliberate attempt to confuse rakyats to make them think ” Ketuanan ” fits into Article 153, WHEREAS Article 153 is confined only to ” Special Rights ” to correct IMBALANCES.
So, it is the top-notch who hijacked Article 153 to rake-in all the wealth ” silently ” & make those deprived to feel ELATED about ” Ketuanan “……
Article 153, if at all, is about some ” preferential ” treatment in this novel idea of social engineering when things changed to ” Tanah Malaysia ” (from Tanah Melayu ) –
When will politicians learn about legalities & ” truths ” ?
Abnizar7 - December 4, 2010 at 11:29 am