From Malaysian Insider
By Muaz Omar
As Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak contemplates whether to call for a snap election, much of the focus is being centred on the fulcrum of the opposition coalition.
PKR, the biggest opposition party up until three of its MPs quit the party, has taken heavy body blows in the media recently.
Mainstream and alternative, print and electronic media have accorded massive coverage on the historic direct elections which give the right to each member to choose their leaders from the division right up to the central leadership.
The overwhelming media interest about the goings-on within the party soon zoomed in on the hotly-contested deputy president’s post vacated by veteran politician Dr Syed Husin Ali.
This extensive coverage of the party election is being fuelled by the fact that PKR is often viewed as the glue that binds the Pakatan Rakyat component parties.
When the opposition coalition dented BN’s two-thirds majority and captured five state governments (prior to BN recapturing Perak) in the 2008 general election, there was a real possibility that BN’s almost unchallenged political dominance may actually fall.
Hence, PKR’s leadership transition is of great importance to national politics as Pakatan Rakyat’s prime minister nominee originates from the party in the form of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
With Anwar’s sodomy trial entering its mature phase, the deputy president will ultimately hold the reins of the party should the courts decide against Anwar.
Anything concerning Anwar, personal or political, is bound to create extraordinary buzz in the domestic and international media.
It is also coupled by the fact that this is the political platform that Anwar hopes would enable him in partnership with Pakatan Rakyat’s allies to topple BN.
The other factor is the personalities vying for the deputy presidency.
PKR vice-president Azmin Ali and the party’s former Federal Territories chief Datuk Zaid Ibrahim are considered political giants in one of the youngest political parties in the country with a meagre membership numbering some 500,000 people.
When Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin took on Datuk Seri Ali Rustam (until he was barred due to money politics) for Umno’s deputy presidency, it created a contest that political pundits, columnists and journalists hotly observed.
However, Azmin Ali vs Zaid Ibrahim is far juicier and, frankly, both of them have far more quality than the Umno contestants.
However, as it turns out the deputy presidency contest has not been as friendly as many party leaders had hoped for.
Azmin, the reserved but charismatic and well-known grassroots leader, went about building consensus and alliances among party leaders at the central, state and divisional leadership.
On the other hand, the effervescent but erratic and outspoken Zaid went on a media blitz using his liberal background to maximum effect in his efforts to charm party members.
One would think that the liberal Malays, NGO-oriented and non-Malays within the party would have an affinity for Zaid, and on the other hand grassroots Malays, who form the bulk of the party members, would associate themselves with Azmin.
As the campaign went on, Zaid used every opportunity to be on the front pages of the print and web media to highlight his take on issues concerning the party but his strong words only enabled him to create enemies within the party rather than build alliances.
He has poured scorn publicly on Azmin, Syed Husin, president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and finally Anwar himself.
nevitably, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back; Zaid was immediately viewed as a persona non grata within the party.
He has also managed to turn off those initially backing him — the NGO-aligned leaders and also influential grassroots Indian as well as Chinese leaders in the party.
Azmin, on the other hand, cranked up his meetings with state and divisional leaders as well as members throughout the country.
As a senior member of the party, it has been a whirlwind tour of sorts but something that isn’t new to him for the last 12 years ever since the Reformasi period.
At the same time, he has kept a low profile when it came to the media, opting not to counter Zaid’s accusations publicly but preferring to address the issues directly with party members.
As someone who can be an elite bourgeois and a grassroots man depending on the necessity, Azmin has played his cards almost to perfection.
Zaid’s first-day lead on the back of votes from his home state of Kelantan soon dwindled as the election period went on.
It also served to switch Azmin’s campaign machinery into overdrive and Zaid’s well-funded machinery found it hard going and by the first weekend, the lead had turned into a deficit for Zaid.
Zaid was banking heavily on Sabah to deliver him the votes but as the results rolled in, it was evident that Azmin’s week-long campaign for the Batu Sapi by-election followed by extensive groundwork had caused a breach in Zaid’s so-called fixed deposit.
When the numbers were turning out against him, Zaid went on another round of media blitzkrieg using pseudo-liberal bloggers and a particular web media to denounce the credibility of the party election.
Every single problem in the voting process — delays in the polls and vote counting — has been heaped on Anwar and Azmin.
After leaping over the party ranks in record time from supreme council, political bureau (which he then took six months’ leave due to disagreement with the party leadership), Hulu Selangor by-election candidate and FT chief, Zaid topped it all of by offering himself for the deputy presidency.
Zaid would have become a big leader for PKR and Pakatan Rakyat in the immediate future but he has built himself up as if he is bigger than the party which turns out to be a major turn-off.
His personality and probably his loud mouth finally got the better of him.
He cracked and called it quits from the race and the party, citing Anwar and Azmin as the source of all the party’s problem.
Party members were largely unhappy with the manner that Zaid and certain leaders handled the outcome of the party elections.
These gung-ho leaders instantly go to the media to voice their displeasure rather than go down to the ground to canvass for votes.
Party members have also been distracted with the writings of infamous bloggers like the Groucho-Marxist Hishamuddin Rais, self-proclaimed liberal Haris Ibrahim and demonstration activist Mat Saman Kati who have made it their personal vendetta to attack Anwar and Azmin.
Zaid’s ill-advised action to quit the party and lead a “Third Force” with the backing of bloggers such as Haris will only be seen as an attempt to undermine PKR and Pakatan Rakyat.
Chandra Muzaffar, Ezam Mohd Nor, Lokman Noor Adam and many other turncoats have failed in this aspect and Zaid is no more important to PKR than those three prior to them leaving the party.
Those who have been long in the party know that the dynamics of the party is one that is open, progressive and fluid.
It is surreal how an ordinary member of the party can have a major say in the leadership of the party and the openness within the party on the right to dissent has given unnecessary advantage to its enemies in Umno and BN.
Even though the party is understaffed and ill-equipped to undertake this gargantuan task, the leadership was adamant that this democratic process had to go through for the long-term benefit of the party.
No party that opened itself up will be able to avoid being subjected to the most minute scrutiny to the extent that criticisms become very personal and emotional rather than objective in nature.
PKR was prepared to go through this and the valiant effort of the leadership and the secretariat must be commended.
It may be a cold and blustery winter at the moment but spring beckons around the corner for PKR, as will the general election.
By Muaz Omar
As Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak contemplates whether to call for a snap election, much of the focus is being centred on the fulcrum of the opposition coalition.
PKR, the biggest opposition party up until three of its MPs quit the party, has taken heavy body blows in the media recently.
Mainstream and alternative, print and electronic media have accorded massive coverage on the historic direct elections which give the right to each member to choose their leaders from the division right up to the central leadership.
The overwhelming media interest about the goings-on within the party soon zoomed in on the hotly-contested deputy president’s post vacated by veteran politician Dr Syed Husin Ali.
This extensive coverage of the party election is being fuelled by the fact that PKR is often viewed as the glue that binds the Pakatan Rakyat component parties.
When the opposition coalition dented BN’s two-thirds majority and captured five state governments (prior to BN recapturing Perak) in the 2008 general election, there was a real possibility that BN’s almost unchallenged political dominance may actually fall.
Hence, PKR’s leadership transition is of great importance to national politics as Pakatan Rakyat’s prime minister nominee originates from the party in the form of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
With Anwar’s sodomy trial entering its mature phase, the deputy president will ultimately hold the reins of the party should the courts decide against Anwar.
Anything concerning Anwar, personal or political, is bound to create extraordinary buzz in the domestic and international media.
It is also coupled by the fact that this is the political platform that Anwar hopes would enable him in partnership with Pakatan Rakyat’s allies to topple BN.
The other factor is the personalities vying for the deputy presidency.
PKR vice-president Azmin Ali and the party’s former Federal Territories chief Datuk Zaid Ibrahim are considered political giants in one of the youngest political parties in the country with a meagre membership numbering some 500,000 people.
When Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin took on Datuk Seri Ali Rustam (until he was barred due to money politics) for Umno’s deputy presidency, it created a contest that political pundits, columnists and journalists hotly observed.
However, Azmin Ali vs Zaid Ibrahim is far juicier and, frankly, both of them have far more quality than the Umno contestants.
However, as it turns out the deputy presidency contest has not been as friendly as many party leaders had hoped for.
Azmin, the reserved but charismatic and well-known grassroots leader, went about building consensus and alliances among party leaders at the central, state and divisional leadership.
On the other hand, the effervescent but erratic and outspoken Zaid went on a media blitz using his liberal background to maximum effect in his efforts to charm party members.
One would think that the liberal Malays, NGO-oriented and non-Malays within the party would have an affinity for Zaid, and on the other hand grassroots Malays, who form the bulk of the party members, would associate themselves with Azmin.
As the campaign went on, Zaid used every opportunity to be on the front pages of the print and web media to highlight his take on issues concerning the party but his strong words only enabled him to create enemies within the party rather than build alliances.
He has poured scorn publicly on Azmin, Syed Husin, president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and finally Anwar himself.
nevitably, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back; Zaid was immediately viewed as a persona non grata within the party.
He has also managed to turn off those initially backing him — the NGO-aligned leaders and also influential grassroots Indian as well as Chinese leaders in the party.
Azmin, on the other hand, cranked up his meetings with state and divisional leaders as well as members throughout the country.
As a senior member of the party, it has been a whirlwind tour of sorts but something that isn’t new to him for the last 12 years ever since the Reformasi period.
At the same time, he has kept a low profile when it came to the media, opting not to counter Zaid’s accusations publicly but preferring to address the issues directly with party members.
As someone who can be an elite bourgeois and a grassroots man depending on the necessity, Azmin has played his cards almost to perfection.
Zaid’s first-day lead on the back of votes from his home state of Kelantan soon dwindled as the election period went on.
It also served to switch Azmin’s campaign machinery into overdrive and Zaid’s well-funded machinery found it hard going and by the first weekend, the lead had turned into a deficit for Zaid.
Zaid was banking heavily on Sabah to deliver him the votes but as the results rolled in, it was evident that Azmin’s week-long campaign for the Batu Sapi by-election followed by extensive groundwork had caused a breach in Zaid’s so-called fixed deposit.
When the numbers were turning out against him, Zaid went on another round of media blitzkrieg using pseudo-liberal bloggers and a particular web media to denounce the credibility of the party election.
Every single problem in the voting process — delays in the polls and vote counting — has been heaped on Anwar and Azmin.
After leaping over the party ranks in record time from supreme council, political bureau (which he then took six months’ leave due to disagreement with the party leadership), Hulu Selangor by-election candidate and FT chief, Zaid topped it all of by offering himself for the deputy presidency.
Zaid would have become a big leader for PKR and Pakatan Rakyat in the immediate future but he has built himself up as if he is bigger than the party which turns out to be a major turn-off.
His personality and probably his loud mouth finally got the better of him.
He cracked and called it quits from the race and the party, citing Anwar and Azmin as the source of all the party’s problem.
Party members were largely unhappy with the manner that Zaid and certain leaders handled the outcome of the party elections.
These gung-ho leaders instantly go to the media to voice their displeasure rather than go down to the ground to canvass for votes.
Party members have also been distracted with the writings of infamous bloggers like the Groucho-Marxist Hishamuddin Rais, self-proclaimed liberal Haris Ibrahim and demonstration activist Mat Saman Kati who have made it their personal vendetta to attack Anwar and Azmin.
Zaid’s ill-advised action to quit the party and lead a “Third Force” with the backing of bloggers such as Haris will only be seen as an attempt to undermine PKR and Pakatan Rakyat.
Chandra Muzaffar, Ezam Mohd Nor, Lokman Noor Adam and many other turncoats have failed in this aspect and Zaid is no more important to PKR than those three prior to them leaving the party.
Those who have been long in the party know that the dynamics of the party is one that is open, progressive and fluid.
It is surreal how an ordinary member of the party can have a major say in the leadership of the party and the openness within the party on the right to dissent has given unnecessary advantage to its enemies in Umno and BN.
Even though the party is understaffed and ill-equipped to undertake this gargantuan task, the leadership was adamant that this democratic process had to go through for the long-term benefit of the party.
No party that opened itself up will be able to avoid being subjected to the most minute scrutiny to the extent that criticisms become very personal and emotional rather than objective in nature.
PKR was prepared to go through this and the valiant effort of the leadership and the secretariat must be commended.
It may be a cold and blustery winter at the moment but spring beckons around the corner for PKR, as will the general election.
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