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The country is on the verge of realising a two-party/coalition democracy, at which point the electorate will have the choice of two equally viable and inclusive alternatives. But to get there, Pakatan Rakyat parties must commit to a Common Policy Framework as a precursor to registering the coalition. By Suflan Shamsuddin
Kadir Jasin recently wrote an article entitled ‘Zaid, The Hurricane Hattie Of PR’, in which he describes Datuk Zaid Ibrahim as someone whom, wherever he goes, creates havoc and ruffles feathers. The facts on which he relies relate to certain aspects of Zaid’s past with which he claims to be acquainted. He seals his argument by referring to Zaid’s announcement to take leave from PKR’s political bureau meetings, following his supposed fallout with the party’s leadership over Sabah. The article appears to be intended to forewarn those who might seek to or have to associate with Zaid of his political ambitions and his propensity to cause chaos wherever he goes. If he wrote the way he wrote, as a nobody, just to heckle a personality for the sheer sake of it or as a means to vent his own frustrations and demonstrate his own petty insecurities, then I would have taken his opinion for what it appears to be. Misguided and unfounded. But harmless. But Kadir Jasin, given his illustrious past, is supposed to be a lot more than just a nobody. He is supposed to be an influential member of society and an opinion leader. And his opinion is that personalities like Zaid should not rock the boat, should not champion the underdog, should not stand up for what they believe in and be true to their principles, and should never challenge the status quo. Instead, what they must do is to pay homage and deference to the settled order, and say ‘how high?’ when asked to ‘jump’. And it is this opinion with which I take issue, i.e. to disparage and hold in contempt the audacity of courage, principle and hope, which Zaid demonstrates. It would be quite different were Zaid to do a Zulkifli Noordin, proposing an amendment to Article 3 of the Federal Constitution on the role of Islam that clearly runs contrary to the stated position of PKR. Or a Hassan Ali, who invites discordance within ranks by holding views that are rejected by all Pakatan Rakyat parties. Or an Ibrahim Ali, who chooses to flip-flop between parties and ideologies, depending on who might be the highest bidder. Or state assemblymen who, at the first sign of trouble with the authorities, are willing to sacrifice the mandate of the electorate and jump ship to save their own skin. These are personalities whose trouble far outstrips the value they bring, and who clearly ought then to be brought to book. Articles that remonstrate such behaviour would make sense for a respectable opinion leader of distinction to write. But Zaid’s feather-ruffling actions have never been out of disrespect to party principles and values. On the contrary, it is because he zealously upholds these principles and values above anything else that he courts more controversy than many other politicians. And it is this upon which Kadir Jasin frowns? The country is on the verge of realising a two-party/coalition democracy, at which point the electorate will have the choice of two equally viable and inclusive alternatives. But to get there, Pakatan Rakyat parties must commit to a Common Policy Framework as a precursor to registering the coalition. And it is the shaping of this document that Zaid has had the arduous responsibility to helm. Might Kadir Jasin’s tirade be nothing more than a manifestation of the jitters felt by those who fear Pakatan Rakyat’s success in achieving this milestone? I am sure that there will be comments to say that to even consider Kadir Jasin as an opinion leader is itself laughable. But as much as I might be ever so slightly tempted to support such a view, I think it lamentable to do so; because it would be below the belt, and undermine the stating of a serious principle at stake. And that is that it is the responsibility of opinion leaders to help shape the creation of a progressive and competent society, and not retard it, by their example, by their action, and by what they say. A while back I wrote an article in Malaysia Today about the Malay struggle, and described how it is not a struggle of retaining special rights or racial dominance. Instead it is an internal one, which requires us Malays to take up an internal jihad to change our behaviours and values in order to accept personal accountability, to be achievement orientated, to be adept at independent and critical analysis, and to play by the book. Kadir Jasin’s opinion runs contrary to this struggle. He wants us to retain our feudal values. It is his kind of opinion leadership and those of his political masters that help hold many Malays back from being anything other than serfs for the ruling elite, and impedes the nation from progressing beyond the authoritarian patronage-based political circus of today.
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