Pakatan affirms sweeping reforms

By Beh Kay Hieng, Jaynne Koh and Suganya Lingan

SHAH ALAM: One thousand five hundred delegates from PAS, DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat converged at the MBSA auditorium here this morning to adopt the Common Policy Framework for Pakatan Rakyat’s journey to Putrajaya.

Proceeding the debate on the Common Policy Framework, PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim (picture) set the pace for the convention with a loud call to Malaysians to wipe out the Umno-… “Ketuanan Melayu” concept and replace it with “Ketuanan Rakyat.”

Pushing the “Ketuanan Rakyat” agenda , he went on to quote American civil rights leader Martin Luther King call for democracy where a nation and her people are not measured by the colour of their skin, but the content of their character.

Anwar said the Barisan National had failed to realise that the people have become more aware of their rights and misdeeds perpetuated by the the ruling front.

He paid tribute to the young generation whom he said formed the thrust of PKR’s move mentpremo and the women who …

Next at the podium was DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng (picture) whose fiery speech and direct digs at Barisan National’s many lop-sided policies and human rights guffaws got the delegates cheering.

“ We want a country that is fair to all Malaysians in its economic policies and in providing social benefits,” he said

Lim said the Pakatan coalition was different from Barisan because BN leaders “fight for themselves but we are fighting for everyone … including a generation yet to be borne..”.

Charting PKR’s Road To Putrajaya, he said the Pakatan coalition was committed to the five principals of the Common Policy Framework and will ensure the future of all Malaysians, including a generation yet to be born.

Rounding up the morning, PAS President Hadi Awang dedicated his time to explaining PAS’s road to modern democracy.

He drew a vivid picture of how PAS’s move to modern democracy was anchored in the laws of Islamic Civilisation.

Hadi Awang (picture) said PAS had taken the position of embracing the positive values of the Chinese and Hindu civilizations that formed the basis of the Islamic principles.

He said the practice of democracy was not just on the day of voting day but it must embrace the whole system.

“If the Election Commission had remained neutral (in the 2008 General Election), we will be the government in Putrajaya today. Just look at us now, we are in power in Kedah, Kelantan, Penang and Selangor..we lost Perak because of BN’s misdeed,” he said.

Touching on the Common Policy Framework, he said the Pakatan coalition had worked on common principals accepted by all three parties.

“We have accepted our weaknesses and have realised that we cannot get everything we want.

“ So the common framework is based on what is of utmost importance to the people. We have chosen to walk in trust and friendship,” he said.

As he passed the mike to PAS president Hadi Awang, he said aIn his speech, PAS president Hadi Awang called on the delegates not to believe the Islam spread by Umno and look at what his party’s move to modern democracy anchored on Islamic civilisation.