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(The Star) - The Pakatan Rakyat is consolidating itself and details of this, including its leadership, would be hammered out at later date, said PKR strategy director Tian Chua.
He said the Pakatan had applied for formal registration as a coalition and is currently waiting for this to be approved so that the Opposition alliance -- which comprises PKR, PAS and the DAP -- would be a legal entity. “The key now is we need to be registered. That is a simple process of getting approval so that we can get on with strengthening the alliance,” he told pressmen at the Parliament lobby here on Thursday. He was commenting on reports that the Pakatan Rakyat had applied for formal registration and is proposing to appoint former minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim as its chairman. Tian Chua said that the issue of leadership had not been discussed yet as the main priority was registering the three-member alliance. “The rest, such as the constitution, logo and leadership, will be decided when the registration is approved. Who hold what position would be decided at a much later stage,” he said. He said the Pakatan Rakyat was now in the process of strengthening its secretariat and drafting a common platform of policies. “This is a process. It is like registrating a brand name for your company. “The marketing plan is not part of registration. We still have to have a marketing plan and figure out how to improve our products” he said. Tian Chua said that the Pakatan convention next month would discuss the alliance’s policies, how it functions and strengthening its election machinery. Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said Zaid had been entrusted with implementing the formation of the coalition as he has a legal background. Zaid, Pakatan coordinator, is part of the secretariat involved in drawing up a charter spelling out the core policies of the opposition alliance.
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Which brings me to my next point. Ok, so the Pakatan is being registered as we speak. But I wonder, do they still need us, the rakyat? Because I'm not sure if they ever hold any consultations with us rakyat, or key members of the rakyat. Maybe they did, just that I'm not aware. Maybe they did get feedback, ideas, suggestions from leaders like Haris Ibrahim, Pete, and the so many that we follow (those are the real leaders to us).
So, I sincerely hope that whatever shape and form the Pakatan eventually takes, the 'marketing plan & product' as Tian called it, would have taken the rakyat's input into consideration. I hope they remember not to alienate their support base in the pursuit of power. Our goal remains the same -- to have a credible choice in our govt and to have the power to make that change if we do not want the incumbent.