PR MAY LOSE DREAM IF THEY IGNORE PAS GRASSROOTS WISH

Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition’s icon and idol is now in trouble. Rejected by the very people he trusted that could help him ‘overthrow Najib’s government’, Anwar faces credibility crisis from within the alliance. PR is ‘battling’ its own problem as PAS grassroots, in the quiet, questioned why its president Abdul Hadi Awang could not be made Prime Minister if PR wins the fereal election. Although PR leaders including PAS leaders themselves try to downplay the issue, if possible bury it, the grassroots are not one that can follow orders or directive. Being the majority and open in their views, they would not like their honest and plain opinion be suppressed by leaders, more so if those are loeaders from other partis, despite being partners pursuing the same dreams. After all, the dream they shared is only to topple the BN government but not the Prime Minister post as they feel they have the right to the post after struggling for more than 50 years while Anwar was still a baby. And suddenly Anwar’s plea for Australia to help ensure free and uncorrupted general election has been rejected, PAS grassroots have the more reason to push Hadi as Prime Minister-in-waiting. Being politically minded grassroots whose minds reach far beyond normal superficial thoughts and cross global political views, they have doubts on Anwar’s credibility with the rejection. To them, Australia’s rejection will be followed by many more developed countries which Anwar had claim that supported him in the bid to topple Najib and BN, as Australia would have referred the matter first to United States, the mother of all democracy before making the decision. Thus, Anwar faces credibility problem from within and this is no small matter despite the strong support from DAP, a chauvinistic party as far Malays, including PAS grassroots are concerned. PAS grassroots are not liberals or seculars who will suffice with just the basic fundamentals of Islam while ignoring the deeper rituals just to fill the chair of a Prime Minister. They insist on the Prime Minister that is a practicing Muslims with untarnished image and credible, not just a theologian, and in this case Hadi is the man who fits the criteria. Anwar and DAP are in a thight spot now as PAS, which can be considered as the backbone of PR, is now loosening up on the alliance. Without PAS, PR may not even get one-third of the 200-odd parliament seats and probably PR may even lose Penang, the risk the opposition alliance have to face if they ignore PAS grassroots.