The People’s Parliament

28 JUNE 2008
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LUCKY DRAW AND AUCTION

In January, 2002, following upon Dr M’s ‘929 Declaration’ that Malaysia is an Islamic state, the St Francis Xavier church in PJ hosted an ‘Is Malaysia an Islamic state?’ forum.

If I recall correctly, representing the government view was a speaker from IKIM whose name I cannot recall. YB Lim Kit Siang spoke, as did YB Dr Hassan Ali from PAS.

One word each for the IKIM speaker and YB Dr Hassan Ali, and two for YB Lim, would succintly describe their respective views on the question whether Malaysia was an Islamic state.

IKIM speaker : Yes

YB Dr Hassan : No

YB Lim : Mana boleh

During the Q&A session, I asked YB Dr Hassan whether, if PAS ever came to power and ruled the country, and given that Islam does not countenance race discrimination, would PAS move to dismantle the bumi/non-bumi distinction in the country and to amend the constitution to remove the ’special position’ of the Malays.

Like a true politician, he answered without quite answering my questions.

However, the audience were not having it and, one by one, many more rose to press for a more definitive answer.

Finding himself cornered, YB Dr Hassan finally and rather sheepishly, and albeit in a rather round-about fashion, answered those questions in the negative.

This man, now the chair of the Islamic Affairs committee of the Pakatan Rakyat state government, has recently announced that Islam Hadhari is banned “di Selangor ini kerana Islam yang kita amalkan dulu dan hari ini tidak berubah dan sudah cukup. Oleh yang demikian, kita mahu sandarkan ajaran Islam sebenar untuk memerintah Selangor ini dan bukannya Islam Hadhari”.

You can get the rest of this from a Malaysiakini report.

YB Dr Hassan says that “Islam yang kita amalkan dulu dan hari ini tidak berubah dan sudah cukup” and “kita mahu sandarkan ajaran Islam sebenar”

Really, YB? Ajaran Islam sebenar?

Well, then, how does your position in 2002 at the forum stand up to the following, reportedly said by the Holy Prophet, in the course of his final sermon?

“All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab. Also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over a white except by piety and good action.”

Is your position in 2002, YB, or that of the Holy Prophet noted above, ‘ajaran Islam sebenar’?

Malaysiakini quotes Nik Aziz yesterday as saying that “Islam hadhari is nonsense … so we can’t talk to the current Umno because it is promoting the wrong, deviant teachings.”

I agree that UMNO, given that it does not practise what it preaches, indulges in wrong, deviant and unIslamic practices, but perhaps Tok Guru would like to expound on which of the 10 stated principles of Islam Hadhari, are nonsense?

Which of the 10 Islam Hadhari principles, in the view of Pakatan Rakyat, offend ‘ajaran Islam sebenar’?

Oh, sorry, I’ve been presumptious in assuming that YB Dr Hassan’s announcement is representative of the well thought out and deliberated views leading to an informed concensus of PAS, PKR and DAP that Islam Hadhari offends ‘ajaran Islam sebenar’.

Well, was it?

Or has DAP suborned itself to the will of PAS on matters relating to Islam? PAS decides and DAP will go along?

Yes, YB Lim Guan Eng, tell us how your state government arrived at its decision to follow Selangor and prohibit Islam Hadhari?

Malaysiakini reports that Penang Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin confirmed that, based on the advice of more than 20 religious experts and former muftis, the Islam Hadhari concept would be discontinued in Penang.

YB Lim, in the name of transparency that we the rakyat have come to expect of Pakatan Rakyat, disclose the substance of the advice of those religious experts.

Tell us why your government has seen it fit to prohibit Islam Hadhari.

Were you aware, YB Lim, of the views of the Mufti of Perlis?

“Islam Hadhari may confuse many but there is good in it. The contents have not been obvious as it is only the branding that has been spoken about a lot,”, Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin is quoted by Malaysiakini to have said.

Is it the branding that is troubling, then?

No need for Hadhari? Islam suffices?

Well, PKR needs to be reminded that Anwar once mooted the idea of Masyarakat Islam Madani.

And did not JAKIM, in 1996, approve ‘Ahlul Sunnah Wal Jamaah’ as the only Islam that is kosher here? Something I’m pretty sure that meets PAS’s approval.

If UMNOites now want to call themselves Hadharites, what do I care?

So if all this arises from a fixation with brands and labels, what next? What gets banned next?

No, I’m no Hadhari fan, but I’m against any notion of governments banning ideas and thoughts.

As Farish Noor put it, ‘there are ideas, and there can be stupid ideas; but to ban an idea simply because of its stupidity seems to be a rather stupid thing to do in itself’

And as Farish asks, ‘what does this entail for the Muslims and non-Muslims of Malaysia? What, in the final analysis, was the objective of this ban?’

Is it because Hadhari is an UMNO / Pak Lah initiative to counter PAS’s Islamisation, and so it does not sit well with the latter?

Is Pakatan Rakyat looking to continue with the politicising of Islam that has gone on for so long between UMNO and PAS?

YB Lim, YB Wan Azizah and YB Hadi, be reminded that you have a Pakatan Rakyat today for only one reason.

Many people who do not care for the flavour of the political aspirations of PAS went along with the idea of an alliance of sort between DAP, PKR and PAS because we thought and hoped that DAP and PKR would serve as a check and balance to PAS.

And that is why you have enough seats in Selangor and Penang to form the government!

Don’t you ever forget this!

The Malaysian Insider did an interview with PAS’ Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad. You can read it at Malaysia Today HERE. 

Here are excerpts of what Doc Dzul said.

To the question ‘How do you see Pas working with DAP, considering the differing idealogies?’ :

‘PAS and DAP not only have different ideological commitments but perhaps one that are diametrically opposed, one entrenched in Islam and the latter in secularism.

But again, this is the beauty of democracy which allows you to differ and dissent democratically yet not necessarily destructive and inimical to one another.

Given the challenges and crisis confronting the nation and the broader common goals and targets that both PAS and DAP would want to achieve and realise, both have to size up to the tasks and place the nation and rakyat beyond partisan and ideological interests.

Incidentally, there are more common grounds to bring us together if we remain focus on achieving the shared vision of justice and good governance’

And then the question ‘Will the coalition hold?’ :

‘Yes, if we are relentless and resolute on holding it together. We have been mandated by the rakyat and they gave us 5 states and 82 parliamentary seats. Every time we want to call the coalition off, look into the eyes of the rakyat, especially the marginalised and the downtrodden section of the rakyat, how they have put their hope on us and could we ever disappoint them? You ask yourselves’

Finally, to the question of how a 2-party system might work :

‘Our democracy is flexible enough to accommodate for these changes and dynamics. Gone are days when the rakyat are only beholden to the Umno/BN, as if they are the be-all and end-all of power and provider. It is now the rakyat taking charge. They are the real boss and employer.

Husam Musa of PAS, as reported in Malaysiakini today :

‘The parties need to understand that the people wanted to reject BN, deny their two-thirds and reduce their arrogance in power. It is not because they love PKR, DAP or PAS but they hate BN, so we can’t claim it’s just PAS’ victory or DAP’s victory. For that, we need to put people’s agenda as the first priority’

‘We accept the federal constitution as the main frame (in governing) and it is the basis where we move’

Husam also said that PAS would continue to champion the cause of an Islamic state although it will not pursue the agenda through Pakatan Rakyat

‘PAS members need an idealism to serve as their reference. Islamic state is that idealism which differentiate our members from other political parties’, Husam said.

A timely intervention by Husam.

Thank you.

I fully appreciate that PAS members and leaders aspire to the establishment of an Islamic state.

I have time and again made it plain that I do not go along with that aspiration.

My position has not changed.

What PAS, both leadership and grassroots, must not do is attack the likes of me ( and there are many like me ) as being enemies of Islam, or even condone or remain indifferent to such attacks.

I, and I am sure many others in civil society, will respect the aspiration of PAS.

In turn, PAS must respect the aspiration of a great many in civil society, myself included, to retain the original secular state established under the Federal Constitution.

And if this mutual respect that I earnestly hope might soon be forged is to be firmly grounded, we must all be assured that in pursuing our respective aspirations, the existing political and constitutional processes shall never be compromised. 

PAS must be completely candid and transparent with civil society about their model Islamic state. And be patient in addressing genuine enquiries about such a model, or competing views on Islam.

We in civil society must in turn reciprocate to share with PAS our vision of the secular state that we think can best accomodate the aspirations of the greatest number.

And in all this, let us make a sacred oath to hold dear, honour and safeguard the Federal Constitution and the best interests of all the rakyat.

DAP, PAS & PKR, well done!

This is the announcement that the rakyat have been waiting for.

The Malaysiakini report on this historic event has it that Yang Berkhidmat Lim Kit Siang said that the emphasis is to focus on “common principles among the three parties”.

On behalf of the rakyat, may I remind all three parties and their leaders that the common principle has been set and agreed upon.

It is the Peoples’s Declaration.

We, the rakyat, gave you our aspirational document.

You said ‘Yes”.

We gave you our vote and our mandate.

Now work with us to make the People’s Declaration a reality.

Penang71, in a comment, asked :

‘…can you give yr take on BN defectors joining the coalition? I feel it’s unwise to accept them - by their actions, they have proven themselves untrustworthy and greedy. They’ll contaminate the coalition. And this may not be the best of times to take over the Federal govt - a worldwide recession in on the way,the coalition may not be able to deliver on its’ rather ambitious manifesto - that would come back to bite them in 5 years. If Malaysia is to have any chance as an unified progressive country, the coalition must prove itself. Don’t bite off more than it can chew’.

_________________________

In the post entitled ‘YBs, honour the voters choice’ , I offered the following view in relation to rumours that DSAI was in East Malaysia and talking to MPs there who were contemplating defecting from BN to BR:

‘I am comforted by the assurance by DSAI as reported in Malaysiakini that BR  ’will not (make an) offer (to) anyone to join us (either) with millions of ringgit or with expectations’. We don’t want the reps we have elected to succumb to unscrupulous offers. Similarly, we must demand that BN reps elected by the rakyat should also honour the choice of those voters.If indeed there are BN elected reps contemplating a cross-over to BR, they should, in my view, revert to the voters in their constituency and get their consent before doing so. Anything short of that would amount to an immoral fraud perpetrated on the voters concerned’

I also reproduce below the views of two readers of Malaysiakini which resonate with my own.

Rayn Bonna: As a Sabahan, I abhor any move by any party, Barisan Alternative or BN, to coax MPs to jump. Sabahans know what it was like to have our mandate betrayed as what happened in the 1990s when Umno (yes, Umno) sweet-talked some Parti Bersatu Sabah assemblypersons into joining BN or abandoning ship resulting in the elections’ loser, BN, helming the state government.

Anwar Ibrahim was deputy prime minister and Umno deputy president then and we knew he, too, had a role in this disgraceful ‘power grab’. Please don’t repeat this heinous crime against the voters. If any MP or assemblyperson wants to defect then do the honourable thing. Resign and let the constituents decide again.

Do not take the voters for granted. Much would I like to see a new federal government because I’ve lost confidence in BN, still, the most important thing is to respect the decision of the voters.

Besides, we in Sabah do not trust our MPs especially those from Umno. They are corrupt. If you take them now, you’ll lose in the next general election. Try us.

BR Voter: I voted for Barisan Rakyat and would love to see BR forming the federal government. However I’m strongly against the idea of persuading BN elected MPs to defect so BR can do so. There are some principles and ethics that must be upheld and that is loyalty and faithfulness. People who jump from one party to another are seldom respected, unless they do so because of genuine ideological difference and not for personal gain, but then they should do so before election and not after. Besides it they can defect from BN to BR today, they do the opposite tomorrow.

We would scream and shout if BR MPs were to defect to BN. We would call them traitors, slime balls or scumbags for betraying voters or even Malaysians, but we would welcome BN defectors and call them heroes. What heroes?

Persuading MPs to defect is tantamount to encouraging them to betray the voters. BR, please wait patiently for your time. I am very sure in 4-5 years, you will be the next federal government elected fairly and overwhelmingly by Malaysians. I will be one of them.

_______________________

The foundation and frame of the house that we are building is important.

If the materials that we have at present are insufficient to complete the whole building, let us not hastily take what our neighbours are ready to discard.

They may be termite-infested.

The rot that may have set in may be too entrenched to salvage.

Let us patiently wait to harvest from the young saplings we have planted that we must now nurture.

They will make for sturdier pillars.  

In the ‘My pledge to anak-anak Bangsa Malaysia’ post, I had promised that :

‘for every Barisan Rakyat candidate that is successfully voted into Parliament or a state assembly, I will put in place an initiative to set up for that constituency a ‘Representative Watch Committee’ (RWC). The function of the RWC would be to work closely with the elected representative and to report back to the constituents, at least on a quarterly basis. The representative is expected to keep the RWC informed of policy that is being formulated or discussed ad impending legislation. In turn, the RWC serves as a conduit pipe to channel to the elected representative matter of concern of the voters’.

However, I now think that there is no reason to exclude any constituency from this effort, if there are enough people willing to commit some of their time to see it through. For that reason, whether the rep is from BR or BN, I would be prepared to try and put together such a committee for every constituency if there are enough people coming forward.

I have sent out e-mails to the various ‘Get an MP’ groups to ask if there are anyone from those initiatives who would be prepared to give time to this effort and to also lend their thoughts as to how this initiative should be carried through. If for any reason any of you have not received that e-mail, please send an e-mail to thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com indicating your constituency so that I ca re-forward to you the e-mail that was sent to your e-group.

People, there are 222 Parliamentary constituencies. I have in mind a committee of 6 for each constituency.

If you would like to play a role in this effort to make sure your representatives in Parliament and the state assemblies serve you and your fellow constituents as well as they can, please send me an e-mail at thepeoplesparliament@gmail.com  

By Farida Jivamala Ibrahim

___________________________  

Please allow me to try to bring sense where a lot of nonsense is going on in our heads, our hearts and our mouths, and all vomited out into blogging space.  

I am not speaking from a know-it-all, arrogant  stance. Rather, I humbly ask for your attention.  

Take a step back from the current scenario which has so many of you  crying out for the blood of DAP, PKR and PAS, and regretting your voting them into power in 5 states, in fact 6, but that’s another  matter.  

Imagine we are the bosses of  5 ‘new’ companies  under the flagship of  ‘Barisan Rakyat’.  ‘Companies’ mean ownership, management, employees, finance, human resources, budget, expenditure, growth, development, profits and losses,  audits, property, assets, capital, allowances, cooperation, team work, accountability, integrity, responsibility, wisdom. I could go on and on.  

Running a state government or federal government covers essentially  the same fundamental aspects  but on a much, much larger scale.   

People, we chose our employees on 8^th March  and gave them an open hand to decide how to set up the state company they were assigned to. Our Company rules and regulations were outlined in two  documents - ‘The People’s Voice’ and ‘The People’s Declaration’.   

Unlike companies, where the CEOS and directors are chosen by owners, the board  or by some other means, we the bosses gave permission by our votes for our employees to plan and execute the set-up of their company through negotiation, consensus and goodwill among themselves. We gave them that liberty.   

When new people join a company, don’t they need understanding and kindness to find their way around?  Won’t they make mistakes in a new environment, especially when they  never dreamt such power, leadership roles and responsibility would be thrust upon them?  

Most important of all, would they know the calibre, the stance, the motives and the reliability of the ones they are going to work with?  Concern about who will be manager and co-workers  is natural, what more if  you find that your colleague is someone you had worked with before who proved he could not be trusted.   

So, in a workplace, especially one starting from scratch, so many issues have to be dealt with. Most of all are the issues of integrity, trust and loyalty. Will everyone stay on board after coming in? Can each person say of the others, “I trust him/her  with my life?”  

It’s hard for our employees because they know the political culture of this nation has for so long been one of backstabbing, money politics, subversion, sabotage and a propensity to destroy that which is good and honourable and true.  Worse still, the business competitor is at the gate, trying to get in and entice.  

Who will fall? Who will resist? Who will be the best? And who will be the worst, in fact the enemy within? We really don’t know. The future is unknown. We are working in unknown territory.  

Bosses have the power to call to account and to sack without examining  where they themselves might have failed the employee. Are we falling into that mould as bosses?   

It grieves me to say ‘yes’.  We have failed our new employees.   

As bosses, we have behaved rather badly. We naively assumed that it would be all systems go from Day 1.  We  presumed that all our employees fully understood our rules and regulations. We didn’t realize that   bitter and resentful  ex-employees who won’t  acknowledge their own failures  want  to cause trouble  in the most vile and insidious of ways and not give our companies a grace period to get started.  

The enemy is messing up big time with some employees’ heads and the MSM has reached a new low with its lowdown reporting filled with lies and racial slants. There is that evil desire to destroy our companies and we, by our words and actions, are helping them.     

Let’s be fair as bosses. Let’s recognise that our employees come from all backgrounds, in all shapes and sizes, with different experiences, inclinations and carrying all sorts of emotional garbage ranging from disappointments to even resentment and rage.  

On paper (manifestos) , they all look good. At the interviews (ceramah), they passed the tests, avowing to abide by company rules, offering to give their best on the job, willing to learn and to listen to their bosses, etc. 

Among some of the seasoned applicants were first-timers to the job market. We the bosses overlooked lack of experience and put our trust in their promises, recognizing  that every veteran worker began as a first-timer. We were focused also  on grooming the young to take over in years to come.    

As much as we want them to excel as employees, we too must excel as bosses, knowing this is a partnership and each must do his or her part.  

Change begins with us, the bosses. We  must mature and not throw tantrums and overreact. We must be  the example of good governance, trustworthy leadership,  excellent teamwork, and make sure our rules and regulations are understood, received, accepted and internalised fully top-down.  

As bosses, we have the power to train. Let us train our employees well. As bosses we have the power to correct. Let us correct  but not belittle.As bosses, we have the power to praise. Let us  encourage and give hope.Let us nurture, not destroy.Let us make men out of mice and princes out of toads.Let us  turn the impossible into the possible.     

Our future, someone said,  is not determined by our past. It is determined by what we do today. He also said that it takes 21 days for new habits to be   formed. That’s March 29^th  with March 9^th as the starting point.  

Will we, the bosses, give our employees the grace period they need to solve issues, to work out their workstations, to embrace change?  And will we pledge to help them grow up to be the men and women of honour we believe they can be?           

Or are we bent on killing what we gave birth to?   Where will Barisan Rakyat go from here? Into the ashes of the past or into a future yet to come?     

It’s really up to us. All Of Us.

By SV Singam

______________________

The term Barisan Rakyat crept into existence so quietly that, when it was finally recognised and feted, there was a bit of a scramble to claim ownership or, at least, first use. It is such a powerful symbol packed with so much meaning. It represents the aspirations of the rakyat so much better than Barisan Alternatif does. The very names of the coalitions are reflections of their origins. 

Barisan Alternatif emerged when the loose coalition of opposition parties rallying around the persecution of Anwar Ibrahim dared to imagine that it would displace the Barisan Nasional and form an alternative government. The reality is that BA is BN-centric. It acknowledges BN to be the real government and sees itself as merely an alternative, a hopeful substitute. 

As events turned out, the BA failed to address the aspirations of the rakyat. On the contrary, it stoked the fears of one segment of the rakyat and was quite easily defeated by the BN. Held together with such tenuous glue, the coalition quickly fell apart. The DAP, rather badly burned by the adventure, probably vowed never again to be seen in bed with PAS. 

Barisan Rakyat was the fruit of efforts within the blogosphere to seek solutions to all that ailed our nation. It had become clear that unless the absolutely corrupted power of the BN was contained, the rakyat would languish in polarised animosity, the country would continue to bleed and diminish and the UMNOputras would be laughing all the way to the bank. There was an intense desire to salvage what was left of our country so that our future generations would have something to look forward to. 

The first order of business was a manifesto that captured the needs of a plural society without alienating or threatening any segment. A few dedicated guys from the People’s Parliament got hold of the manifesto that forward-looking folks from the BA had put together back in 1999. They picked up what was good in it, added what was missing, prodded it, tweaked it and came up with the People’s Declaration. The guys from PP also produced a document called the People’s Voice which identified all that was wrong with the nation and that needed to be fixed. Finally we had documents that clearly and unambiguously stated what concerned the rakyat and what they expected from their government. 

To remind those who may have forgotten, allow me to present a brief summary of the Declaration… 

The People’s Declaration 

The People’s Mission 

1.      Build a government based on values common to all the great religions 

2.      Pledge to uphold the Malaysian Constitution. 

3.      Create a just and prosperous Malaysia with a truly democratic government. 

4.      Protect and defend the rights and dignity of all the people and guarantee justice for all. 

5.      Enhance economic prosperity to face global challenges. 

6.      Meet the basic needs of the people and ensure quality of life and social harmony. 

7.      Distribute wealth and opportunities fairly among all. 

8.      Develop quality social infrastructure and a clean and comfortable physical environment. 

9.      Enhance the quality of education, health and other social services. 

10. Build places of worship, public parks and libraries and arts and cultural centres. 

11. Provide opportunities for information technology and other methods of communication.  

The People’s Plan

Develop a government that is democratic, transparent, accountable and ethical by 

1.      Promoting national unity 

2.      Building a genuine democracy 

3.      Enhancing administrative transparency and accountability 

4.      Strengthening the national economy 

5.      Giving full effect to our social contract.  

Copies of the Voice and the Declaration were sent out to all political parties, including the components of the Barisan Nasional. Six of those parties (none of the BN) responded positively. They agreed to attend the official launch of the Voice and Declaration and publicly declare the endorsement of their respective parties. 

During the launch of these documents, Haris told those attending that these documents were gifts from the rakyat to those who would represent us in parliament and state assemblies. He conferred upon those consenting parties the title of Barisan Rakyat, the political front that represented the rakyat. He called them the Barisan Harapan Rakyat, the hope of the people. 

Lim Kit Siang was not wrong in denying the existence of an umbrella organisation called the Barisan Rakyat. At this point in time, the Barisan Rakyat remains simply a name, a statement of hope. Those political parties that accepted and endorsed the People’s Declaration did that one-on-one with the prime movers of the idea, the People’s Parliament, itself an undefined entity. There was no party-to-party discussion or agreement. There is no formal coalition organisation of political parties opposed to BN. 

But no one can deny the reality of Barisan Rakyat. The name rolls off the tongues of the rakyat so easily. Many of the MPs and ADUNs of the parties opposed to BN (we can’t call them opposition anymore as they are the government in some states) comfortably identify themselves as the Barisan Rakyat. No one can deny that Barisan Rakyat is what can take us forward. It is important therefore to determine exactly what or who Barisan Rakyat is and should be. 

Without a doubt, we need a formal coalition of political parties that can agree on a common goal and establish common terms of reference. We have proposed the People’s Declaration as defining those goals and terms of reference. Our proposal has been accepted. Now it is only a matter of bringing the parties to a dialogue and getting them to form the coalition. If they choose to call that coalition something other than Barisan Rakyat, that is their prerogative. 

The next component of the Barisan Rakyat that has to be put in place is something that has already been proposed and discussed in PP - Representative Watch Committees. Politicians and political parties, just like everyone else, pick up bad habits and fall into rigid mental tracks. If the direction of our political and social evolution is to be changed positively, a guiding hand is needed to nudge the politicians whenever they go astray of the people’s aspirations. The rakyat have to take ownership of the process. 

RWCs will not sprout overnight. Let me rephrase that - RWCs that sprout overnight will be nothing more than PR exercises, soon to become useless and quickly cast aside. Working with a selected ADUN and/or MP, we need to develop a practical and functional model that can then be applied nationwide. This has to be a bottom-up implementation - the rakyat who desire to establish an RWC have to get in touch with their representative, moot the idea, seek help from PP and move forward. 

The third component of the Barisan Rakyat already exists. 

The Barisan Rakyat is in fact made up of all those who stand opposed to the excesses of the BN, all those who wore YELLOW in support of Jom Bersih, who were ready to stand up and be counted, all those who joined our swelling ranks day by day as they saw our battle mount, all those who went to the polling stations on the 8th of March and delivered a thumping blow to the BN and all those who will contribute their part in restoring justice and rule of law to the country.  

The Barisan Rakyat is led by people like Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Haris Ibrahim, Bernard Khoo, Ahirudin Attan, Wong Chin Huat… so many people who are lending their thoughts, their resources, their time and effort to the tasks of strategising, planning and executing the fight against cronyism, nepotism, communalism, religious persecution… all the ills and indignities that the people of this nation have had to suffer and endure for decades. 

It was Barisan Rakyat  that organised Jom Bersih.  The ending of 3-cornered fights is a BR accomplishment. The earlier Bersih and Hindraf marches, the Walk by the legal fraternity, the anti BN/Badawi demonstrations by various persons … all these were precursors to the formalised BR activities that we should be seeing from now. 

There is much to be done to heal the nation. We are only just beginning. But it is an excellent beginning. Despite the reversal of the last few days, these are still exciting times. We shall survive the travail and grow. We shall make a difference. 

Hidup Barisan Rakyat.

You people have been having a field day letting fly with comments to SV Singam’s ‘Dinosaurs in modern clothes’ and my ‘Give the Barisan Rakyat YBs a chance’.

I thought I would sit back, let you all get all your aggro of your chests before I try to get in my two sen worth.

I’m going to try now.

My attitude is simple : God and my Mum I trust. Everyone else, please lay your cards on the table where I can see them.

And for a long time, I found it hard to trust PAS. And since I do not see eye to eye with their vision of an Islamic state, it had always been difficult for me in the past to imagine my ever voting for a PAS candidate, let alone articulating my support for one.

DAP entered into a loose alliance with PKR and PAS in 1999. DAP paid the price amongst the Chinese voters at the elections then.

DAP has not forgotten and, it would seem, fears a backlash from the Chinese voters if any DAP-PAS election pact is perceived.

Hence Lim Kit Siang’s statement on 6th March that there’is no such thing as Barisan Rakyat. DAP has no general election co-operation with PAS’.

His statement is, in my view, factually correct. To the best of my knowledge, there was never any election pact or co-operation between DAP and PAS. PKR appeared to play the go-between.

And yes, there is no entity in law known as ‘Barisan Rakyat’.

Barisan Rakyat is the aspiration and hope of the rakyat. 

That hope, for many of us, myself included, for a better tomorrow, encompasses both DAP and PAS, along with others.

However, be clear that Barisan Rakyat entails a pact between each of the 6 parties and us, the rakyat, that they would give effect to the People’s Declaration if they were mandated at the last elections to rule.

Not a pact between the 6 parties. 

And clearly, DAP has not overcome its post-1999 election ‘PAS jitters’.

I, on the other hand, and a great many others, Malays, Chinese and Indians, etc, have come to trust PAS enough to give them our vote.

Why?

I can only speak for myself.

Firstly, I think PAS has learnt from the thrashing it received at the 2004 elections following its release of its Islamic state blueprint at the instigation of Dr M. The latter set the trap and the former fell for it.

That is not to say that they have abandoned their Islamic state agenda.

Last August, I spoke at a forum at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall on the Sedition Act in relation to the Namawee fiasco.

Dr. Zulkifli Ahmad of PAS, now MP for Hulu Selangor, also spoke. He candidly reaffirmed PAS’s aspiration to establish Syariah.

However, he also reassured that PAS would never resort to unparliamentary means to achieve this end.

The video clip of his speech :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZP3WdcTG38 . Skip straight to the 8th minute if you want to go directly to that part of his speech I have referred to.

Then on 23rd February this year, on the eve of nomination day, PAS’s Dr Siti Mariah, in reaffirming PAS’s endorsement of the People’s Declaration, confirmed that PAS had consciously omitted any mention of an Islamic state agenda in its own manifesto and that our Declaration was so much in  line with their manifesto.

The video clip of her speech : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUIeKdEKq5Q . Skip straight to the 4th minute.

Finally, given that PAS was set to contest for 60 Parliamentary seats, it was plain that it could never form the federal government on its own. And no coalition government comprising DAP would countenance any amendment to the Constitution to turn us into a theocratic state.

Personally, I am sufficiently comforted by the assurance of Dr. Zulkifli to say today that I am prepared to recognise that PAS’s aspiration is as legitimate as the aspiration of a great many citizens of this country, myself included, to retain the original secular state established under our present Constitution. In return, PAS too must publicly acknowledge the aspiration of the pro-secular state citizenry as a legitimate one. 

Premised on Dr. Zulkifli’s assurance, and provided the PAS party leadership will publicly reiterate that assurance that PAS will never resort to unparliamentary means to attain its aspiration, it seemed to me that there was no good reason that civil society in general could not forge a working arrangement with PAS.

In my view, we had forged that working arrangement with PAS when the latter endorsed the People’s Declaration and we proceeded to embrace PAS as part of our Barisan Rakyat.

As we did with DAP, PKR, MDP, PSM and PASOK.

What remains to be done now, and fast in the light of recent events, is to get DAP, PKR and PAS, if not all 6 parties, to forge a sustainable alliance.

Browbeating our elected reps will not help forge that alliance.

I think the rakyat must lend leadership in that effort.

Perhaps the first helpful step would be to allay DAP’s post-1999 election ‘PAS jitters’.

And that can only come from PAS.

PAS, can we hear from you?