Unity govt: A mere academic exercise?
Lee Ban ChenPublished: Jun 19, 2009 8:05 AM | Updated: Jun 19, 2009 9:39 AM
The concept of unity government which has plagued PAS and Pakatan Rakyat was rendered to mere ‘academic discussions' by president Abdul Hadi Awang when he made an about-turn on his controversial pro-unity government stand
The concept of unity government which has plagued PAS and Pakatan Rakyat was rendered to mere ‘academic discussions' by president Abdul Hadi Awang when he made an about-turn on his controversial pro-unity government stand.
In contrast to the sharp criticism by spiritual leader Nik Aziz that those who supported Hadi's proposal to form a unity government with Umno were ‘boneka Umno' (Umno puppets), the way Hadi washed his hands of the issue was absurd and irresponsible.
Rais Yatim (below), an Umno supreme council member, came to Hadi's aid and criticised Nik Aziz for displaying his true colours as most Malay leaders from the opposition do, and who were not sincere in fighting for Islam as a religion of harmony and unity.
Hadi Awang and his deputy Nasharudin Mat Isa were promoted as far-sighted leaders while others as practicing populist politics. Their support of the idea of a unity government was praised as a valuable measure taken by respected statesmen.
But amidst the political and economic crises, it was unthinkable that the PAS president and his followers were at leisure to take part in ‘academic discussions' which has split PAS into two factions, one for the pro-unity government and the other against it.
Hadi shouldn't forget so easily that on June 6, he had reiterated his confidence that the concept to form a unity government mooted by him would not be shelved as such, and time would come when his proposal would be accepted by the leadership of PAS and fraternal parties in Pakatan Rakyat alike. This statement was surely not mere academic rhetoric but declaration of one's firm political belief.
Preconditions to unity talks
After being vehemently objected to inside and outside the party, Hadi has now started to set preconditions before any unity talks, that Umno should first reform the democratic, judicial and media set up.
His pretentious posture failed to cover up his insincerity and irresponsibility. As leader of Pakatan Rakyat who dares to suggest formation of unity government, he must also be brave enough to accept criticisms and correct his mistakes.
Besides, he admitted that the suggestion of a unity government was not thoroughly discussed in PAS, and yet to be accepted as a proposal of Pakatan Rakyat. The unity government issue had split the candidates for party elections into two camps, one pro and another anti-unity government.
The anti-unity government camp had in fact won majority seats for vice presidents and members of supreme council, except in the contest for deputy president, where Husam Musa and Mat Sabu were defeated by Nasharudin Mat Isa because the votes against unity government were split between the two. Nasharudin might have been defeated if it was a one-on-one fight.
If the proposal was not thoroughly discussed, why the need to promote it in such haste and admist a flurry of objections from the majority of the leadership and grass-root members?
And if it was not yet a proposal of Pakatan Rakyat, how could Hadi claim that PKR and DAP had supported the idea? Only when the parties concerned denied his claim and sought further clarification, did he change his tune.
Hadi should be more transparent
As a religious leader, why couldn't Hadi (right) be more transparent, consistent and trustworthy?
Hadi Awang might try to wash his hands of the unity government issue, but obviously the damage had been done, inter alia:-
1.Since proposal to form a unity government with Umno was an importance policy shift which would affect the political directions of PAS, Pakatan Rakyat and the interests of the people, to initiate unity talks unilaterally without thorough discussions within Pas and getting the consent of Pakatan Rakyat, due democratic process in policy formulation was not followed by Hadi Awang and his supporters.
2.To begin unity talks between PAS and Umno without prior consent of PKR and DAP could be interpreted in a negative sense that Pas was prepared to quit Pakatan Rakyat and cross over to Barisan Nasional. It may even arouse suspicion from the leadership of PAS and Pakatan Rakyat, or even their ordinary members and supporters that it may involve personal interests or ambitions, or worse still, as labeled by spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat that they were playing the parts of ‘Umno puppets'.
3.The objective of the unity government as projected in the main stream media especially, Utusan Malaysia, was to forge Malay / Muslim unity. The perception is that PAS had closed ranks with Umno's racist policy based on Malay supremacy ‘ketuanan Melayu', now it had become Malay/Islam supremacy ‘ketuanan Melayu/Islam' which is more scary.
4.Votes given to PAS in the 12th General Election and the by-elections that followed, especially from non-Malay voters were, in fact, against the Umno/BN government. Thus, PAS had no mandate to hold unity talks with Umno to form a unity government of any kind. I believe even Malay voters including PAS members and its supporters also could not agree to the formation of unity government to save Umno from eventual collapse.
Negative perception must be cleared
5.Beside the unity government proposed by the PAS president, over-stressing on the ulamas' leadership and thus marginalising the professionals, and the motion by Shah Alam PAS calling government to ban Sisters In Islam, which was adopted by the general assembly without debate, gave an impression that PAS had returned to a more conservative, exclusive and intolerant position. If PAS is not able to clear up such negative perceptions, the support gained by it after the political tsunami of March 8, may be affected badly.
6.PAS's 55th general assembly was god-send for its political enemies, especially MCA and Gerakan. They now have an excellent opportunity to launch an anti-PAS offensive propaganda. They were suffering from low morale and were on defensive after the March 8 defeat. Political analysts who used to sympathise with Pakatan Rakyat are now of the view that non-Malays have been deceived by PAS.
I fully agree with Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, a member of PAS central working committee, that it was of paramount importance to make a strategic choice. For example, instead of a three-cornered tussle, if it was a one-on-one fight between Nasharudin Mat Isa and either Husam Musa or Mat Sabu, the outcome might be different. And how good it would have been, instead of being embroiled in an ulama-professional polemic and unity government controversy, all human resources could have been put together to draw up a master plan for PAS to replace Umno as the first choice of Malay-Islam voters as suggested by Dr. Dzulkefly!
Lee Ban Chen is a Malaysiakini columnist with the Bahasa Malaysia section.
In contrast to the sharp criticism by spiritual leader Nik Aziz that those who supported Hadi's proposal to form a unity government with Umno were ‘boneka Umno' (Umno puppets), the way Hadi washed his hands of the issue was absurd and irresponsible.
Rais Yatim (below), an Umno supreme council member, came to Hadi's aid and criticised Nik Aziz for displaying his true colours as most Malay leaders from the opposition do, and who were not sincere in fighting for Islam as a religion of harmony and unity.
Hadi Awang and his deputy Nasharudin Mat Isa were promoted as far-sighted leaders while others as practicing populist politics. Their support of the idea of a unity government was praised as a valuable measure taken by respected statesmen. But amidst the political and economic crises, it was unthinkable that the PAS president and his followers were at leisure to take part in ‘academic discussions' which has split PAS into two factions, one for the pro-unity government and the other against it.
Hadi shouldn't forget so easily that on June 6, he had reiterated his confidence that the concept to form a unity government mooted by him would not be shelved as such, and time would come when his proposal would be accepted by the leadership of PAS and fraternal parties in Pakatan Rakyat alike. This statement was surely not mere academic rhetoric but declaration of one's firm political belief.
Preconditions to unity talks
After being vehemently objected to inside and outside the party, Hadi has now started to set preconditions before any unity talks, that Umno should first reform the democratic, judicial and media set up.
His pretentious posture failed to cover up his insincerity and irresponsibility. As leader of Pakatan Rakyat who dares to suggest formation of unity government, he must also be brave enough to accept criticisms and correct his mistakes.
Besides, he admitted that the suggestion of a unity government was not thoroughly discussed in PAS, and yet to be accepted as a proposal of Pakatan Rakyat. The unity government issue had split the candidates for party elections into two camps, one pro and another anti-unity government.
The anti-unity government camp had in fact won majority seats for vice presidents and members of supreme council, except in the contest for deputy president, where Husam Musa and Mat Sabu were defeated by Nasharudin Mat Isa because the votes against unity government were split between the two. Nasharudin might have been defeated if it was a one-on-one fight.
If the proposal was not thoroughly discussed, why the need to promote it in such haste and admist a flurry of objections from the majority of the leadership and grass-root members?
And if it was not yet a proposal of Pakatan Rakyat, how could Hadi claim that PKR and DAP had supported the idea? Only when the parties concerned denied his claim and sought further clarification, did he change his tune.
Hadi should be more transparent
As a religious leader, why couldn't Hadi (right) be more transparent, consistent and trustworthy?Hadi Awang might try to wash his hands of the unity government issue, but obviously the damage had been done, inter alia:-
1.Since proposal to form a unity government with Umno was an importance policy shift which would affect the political directions of PAS, Pakatan Rakyat and the interests of the people, to initiate unity talks unilaterally without thorough discussions within Pas and getting the consent of Pakatan Rakyat, due democratic process in policy formulation was not followed by Hadi Awang and his supporters.
2.To begin unity talks between PAS and Umno without prior consent of PKR and DAP could be interpreted in a negative sense that Pas was prepared to quit Pakatan Rakyat and cross over to Barisan Nasional. It may even arouse suspicion from the leadership of PAS and Pakatan Rakyat, or even their ordinary members and supporters that it may involve personal interests or ambitions, or worse still, as labeled by spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat that they were playing the parts of ‘Umno puppets'.
3.The objective of the unity government as projected in the main stream media especially, Utusan Malaysia, was to forge Malay / Muslim unity. The perception is that PAS had closed ranks with Umno's racist policy based on Malay supremacy ‘ketuanan Melayu', now it had become Malay/Islam supremacy ‘ketuanan Melayu/Islam' which is more scary.
4.Votes given to PAS in the 12th General Election and the by-elections that followed, especially from non-Malay voters were, in fact, against the Umno/BN government. Thus, PAS had no mandate to hold unity talks with Umno to form a unity government of any kind. I believe even Malay voters including PAS members and its supporters also could not agree to the formation of unity government to save Umno from eventual collapse.
Negative perception must be cleared
5.Beside the unity government proposed by the PAS president, over-stressing on the ulamas' leadership and thus marginalising the professionals, and the motion by Shah Alam PAS calling government to ban Sisters In Islam, which was adopted by the general assembly without debate, gave an impression that PAS had returned to a more conservative, exclusive and intolerant position. If PAS is not able to clear up such negative perceptions, the support gained by it after the political tsunami of March 8, may be affected badly.
6.PAS's 55th general assembly was god-send for its political enemies, especially MCA and Gerakan. They now have an excellent opportunity to launch an anti-PAS offensive propaganda. They were suffering from low morale and were on defensive after the March 8 defeat. Political analysts who used to sympathise with Pakatan Rakyat are now of the view that non-Malays have been deceived by PAS.
I fully agree with Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, a member of PAS central working committee, that it was of paramount importance to make a strategic choice. For example, instead of a three-cornered tussle, if it was a one-on-one fight between Nasharudin Mat Isa and either Husam Musa or Mat Sabu, the outcome might be different. And how good it would have been, instead of being embroiled in an ulama-professional polemic and unity government controversy, all human resources could have been put together to draw up a master plan for PAS to replace Umno as the first choice of Malay-Islam voters as suggested by Dr. Dzulkefly!
Lee Ban Chen is a Malaysiakini columnist with the Bahasa Malaysia section.
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