RIFT BETWEEN PAS AND PKR WIDENS, PAS IS BETTER ALONE

Cracks within parties in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) which are visible are getting wider and bigger, probably now cannot be cemented or plastering between the cracks. Before the verbal war between DAP and PAS on Islamic state and Hudud laws could subside, right now the verbal war widen between PKR and PAS on candidates for ministers and Mentri Besars. PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali issued a statement expressing regrets and concern over PKR deputy president Azmin Ali’s comment that Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim might be replaced after the general election. Mustafa said this was not the stand of PR, the umbrella of the alliance of all the three parties – DAP, Pas and PKR. This means Azmin is trying to pre-empt any attempt to retain Khalid and his statement reflected his intention since early last year to head Selangor, which became an issue for a while early last year. This means Azmin is very ambitious and he will not settle down until he gets what he wanted. Azmin statement, front-paged by Sinar Harian, shows that parties in PR are at each other’s throat before even the date of the general election is announced. This is no small matter as it signifies the authoritativeness of the parties in the alliance because all decisions are supposedly to be based on concensus but now Azmin already release his view. Mustafa, a veteran and fundamentalist in PAS is no ‘small child’ in politics. His experience dated back way before Azmin was born, probably and he has been on top of thing, politics that is, without having misses anything. So Azmin, probabloy reflecting his boss’s (Anwar Ibrahim) mind should be wary and careful because PKR’s position is pR is very volatile, with waning support and credibility. And now, PAS members who are not the liberals who are inclined to Anwar, are watching closely whether they should continue supporting the ‘marriage of convenience’ with PKR or just ‘seek divorce’ before the general eelction. Azmin’s statement which represent Anwar’s mind does not go down well with PAS and DAP is not that stupid to swallow Anwar’s ‘dictation’ because the party knows PKR is now more of a liability than asset, politically to say. Thus, it is now up to PAS to continue playing along with PKR and DAP or just leave the ‘unholy alliance’ and go on its own in the coming general election. After all, PAS in reality does not need PKR, which has not much influence now or DAP which only attracts the non-Malays. PAS can stand alone as it has always done and better still if it goes alongside BN which can help it achieve its objective – following the path of Islam.