Who still cares about the third voice?

This time, we are in fact in an urgent need to listen to the third voice outside the two coalitions. Unfortunately, due to the need of political correctness, today's society has become more and more intolerant of voices and views outside the BN and Pakatan Rakyat.

Lim Mun Fah, Sin Chew Daily

It is believed that the BN and Pakatan Rakyat are now ready for the general election and their full-fledged campaigns will be launched on the nomination day. It can be foreseen that it will be an unprecedented season that floods new media with wars of words.

It is a season for politicians to show their eloquence, literary talent, wisdom and ideologies. Their words and deeds will be fully exposed through the media. After a rapid fermentation process, they will dominate the people's thinking and affect the future of the society, as well as the country.

It is also a season of the emergence of differences. Different views, different perspectives, different ideas and different ideologies will emerge and bring controversies, discords and debates. All of a sudden, we will realise that there are actually so many differences, in terms of race, religion, culture, education, economy and other areas, in the society. All of them seem out of place and the serious misunderstanding and deep contradiction seem to have split us in half, surprising and worrying us.

Election is not a carnival in which everything will restore calmness after a spree. Election has its greater significance and impact. A major election can even play the role of a historical turning point. Some remarks and ideas made by important politicians during election period will also leave traces and bring continuous or even dominant influences to the post-election society.

After the 2008 political tsunami, we seem to have been living in an unimaginable political ocean, suffering from endless provocations, including political language and behaviours, almost everyday. In just about five years, changes to the country's political ecology are actually shockingly great.

If the political game between the ruling and alternative coalitions can make our society more democratic, free, fair and clean, it will be a blessing for the people and the country. However, if the political game turns into a malicious battle, causing the rights and wrongs of public affairs can only be divided according to the boundaries of political parties, and makes ballot the only truth while trapping the society in a confronting binary impasse, it is then an absolute crisis of sinking democracy, instead of a turning point.

This time, we are in fact in an urgent need to listen to the third voice outside the two coalitions. Unfortunately, due to the need of political correctness, today's society has become more and more intolerant of voices and views outside the BN and Pakatan Rakyat. All people, regardless of media practitioners longing for neutral or scholars claiming themselves objective, once they start talking, they will be labelled as lackeys of the BN or hired thugs of Pakatan Rakyat, making them to immediately shut their mouths to avoid causing more troubles.

A society that cares only about votes and neglects reasoning will always force those who wish not to take side to remain silent, or even indifferently keep a distance from political parties. If this happens, the rational third voice will be absent and the direction of social values and public opinions will then be completely manipulated and dominated by politicians. If a so-called democratic country does not allow the presence of diverse voices, it will be a bad omen for the rise of political violence. It is definitely not a good thing for the country's progress of democracy!

Berjasa: Third force for Malay voters?

By Mohsin Abdullah,

BERJASA, the party which rose from the "ashes" of the 1977 Kelantan Emergency before finding itself eclipsed after the 1990 polls, is set to resurface and contest the next general election. Sources say an official announcement will be made "very soon" – possibly on Friday.
The party, which has been "quiet" for a long time, had first expressed its intention to take part in GE13 last March when talk was rife that polling would be held then. But their "announcement" last year did not get much attention in the media.

But this time, it is said Malay/Muslim-based Berjasa is "ready to offer itself as the third force" and could provide the platform for individuals who want to take the plunge into the political arena but do not have a party for backing.

The party has always portrayed itself as "a cross between Umno's nationalism stance and PAS' Islamic belief". Perhaps that would "appeal" to the likes of former PAS leaders Datuk Hasan Ali and Nasharudin Mat Isa – don't forget that Berjasa is a PAS breakaway. Or would former Umno man and current Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali be interested?

It is not known how many members the party has at present or its reach nationwide. Hence, on its own it is not expected to cause a huge impact on the political landscape of the country. But it could be a different scenario should the party form a pact with other political entities.

Berjasa will eye Malay/Muslim constituencies. That's a given so to speak. Its entry into the political arena will see a further split in Malay votes.

Berjasa or Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia was formed in 1977 following a political crisis in Kelantan, which led to a declaration of emergency in the state. And it played a big role in toppling the then Kelantan PAS state government.

Since Merdeka Kelantan has always been ruled by PAS. And when the party joined the BN in 1973 it was agreed that Kelantan remain a PAS stronghold, with Umno having a "share" in the PAS dominated government. Thus the Kelantan Menteri Besar then was the late Datuk Mohammad Nasir from PAS. The party then was led by Datuk Asri Muda.

Soon after, PAS-Umno rivalry intensified in Kelantan. Menteri Besar Datuk Mohammad Nasir, despite being a PAS man, was seen to be "siding" with Umno and frequently defied party instructions.

Irritated, annoyed and angry even, PAS demanded his resignation. Mohammad Nasir refused and was later sacked from PAS but he remained menteri besar.

A "no confidence" motion against the MB was tabled in the state assembly and carried by the 20 PAS assembly members. The 13 representatives from Umno and one from MCA walked out in protest.

Mohammad Nasir's response was to call for the dissolution of the state assembly. A legal impasse ensued. Followers of Mohammad Nasir held demonstrations in the streets of Kota Baru, expressing their support for him. Violence and looting were reported. The federal government headed by Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn rushed an emergency bill in parliament which was passed. A state of emergency was declared and curfew imposed in the Kelantan state capital, Kota Baru. PAS was thrown out of the BN.

Three months later, the federal government called for a snap election in Kelantan. Held on March 11, 1978, the election saw the participation of PAS, Umno and a third party formed earlier by Mohammad Nasir. It was named Berjasa.

PAS won only two seats in the 36 seat state assembly. Umno won 23 and Berjasa 11. That meant Umno had succeeded in capturing Kelantan from PAS and won the right to rule the state. That feat was made possible by Berjasa splitting the votes.

Berjasa subsequently joined the BN but did not make much headway in the coalition. Soon, support for the party diminished in subsequent elections. In the 1990 election, Berjasa was part of the Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah, an opposition pact of Malay/Muslim political parties formed by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who was then president of Umno breakaway party Semangat 46.

The pact, together with another opposition front formed by Tengku Razaleigh known as Gagasan Rakyat for non-Malay/Muslim parties failed to topple the Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad-led BN.

Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah was dissolved when Tengku Razaleigh disbanded Semangat 46 and returned to Umno.

Since then Berjasa's participation in the political fray has been minimal. With the present intention of contesting GE13, is Berjasa ready to be resurrected now? More importantly, what role will it play? What's the game plan?

Pakatan should share power with ‘third force’

Some groups calling themselves the third force are reminding Pakatan that they were the instrumental force in the last general election.

GEORGE TOWN: It’s high time Pakatan Rakyat learned to share power with Hindraf and other civil rights movements and social activists who refer to themselves as the “third force”.

Hindraf Makkal Sakti said that Pakatan should learn to share seats and power with the independent third force if it wants to triumph in the next general election.

Its national coordinator W Sambulingam said Pakatan must realise that it would not have enjoyed the last electoral successes without the effective campaigning and decisive help of the third force.

“Thus, Pakatan should be willing to cooperate and share power with the third force which truly represents the people,” he told FMT.

He called on Pakatan to do some soul-searching to recognise the contributions and sacrifices made by the third force for the coalition success in the last polls.

“Pakatan cannot do it alone. It must share the power with the third force to vote out Umno and company,” said Sambulingam.

Next week, Hindraf will organise a Hindraf- ABU forum in Buntong, Ipoh, to reach out to the Indian electorate and disseminate the ultimate message “Umno Must Go.”

This was the main reason behind Hindraf choosing Buntong, a Tamil-speaking Hindu heartland in Ipoh, as the next venue for the newly formed Hindraf-ABU team.

Sambulingam, N Ganesan, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, NGO Solidariti Anak-Anak Muda Malaysia leader Badrul Hisham Shaharin, or better known as Chegu Bard, ABU coordinator Haris Ibrahim will be among the main speakers at the forum.

Sambulingam urged the police to provide better protection to the forum and the crowd and stop rowdy mobs from gate-crashing.

On Jan 21, a rowdy mob, believed to sponsored by a top political party, gate-crashed and attacked those attending a Hindraf-ABU forum in Klang, causing serious injury to at least one person.

Third Force to encircle Umno

The current political landscape in the country is fertile for all minority parties in Barisan Nasional or otherwise to opt for a direct coalition system.
COMMENT

After the 2008 general election, what we are witnessing are structural changes in the Malaysian political landscape: the emergence of a two-party system in Malaysia – Umno the main component of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, and the opposition pact led by PKR and PAS.

But this is unlike the two-party system in some countries such as the US, where either one of the two parties can win an election and form the government and the other automatically becomes the opposition.

In Malaysia, the dual party system is unique. Firstly, it is a Malay-based two-party system and secondly, neither party can form a government on its own without forming a coalition with the non-Malay minority parties.

Hence the political landscape in the country provides the right scenario for all minority parties in BN or otherwise to opt for a (direct) coalition system of government, whereby the minority parties will contest using their own party ticket.

And after the general election is over, these minority parties can negotiate to join either one of the two Malay-based parties. Thus, the formation of a federal government would be based on the two-party system and a coalition system.

It is common knowledge that there have been so many gross abuses committed by Umno under the name of the government and the BN entity.

Only Umno wields so much political and economic power, leaving the other minor component parties sharing the leftovers.

This has been Umno’s policy and practices since 1981 following the Mahathir undemocratic-authoritarian rule.

The other component parties, though members of the BN, are all tied down under the Umno system of controls which enables the latter to become the de facto federal government.

When Najib Tun Razak took over the premiership in 2009, he initially tried more democratic approaches such as the 1Malaysia slogan and economic, political and electoral reforms, but with little success.

Of late, it is getting clearer that Najib, like Dr Mahathir Mohamad, shares similar beliefs that only through undemocratic-authoritarian rule can Umno continue to hold such political and economic power and maintain its grip on other races and parties .

Two-pronged strategy needed

This special two-party political system requires a third force that has the two-pronged strategy to encircle Umno’s despotic power and to prop up the opposition – Pakatan plus coalition – and strengthen the system.

Let’s look at the components of the Third Force:

i) Direct coalition system at national and state levels.

Across the country there are many minor political parties, whether in the BN or opposition, that can team up and forge a common platform through the direct coalition system.

Parties like DAP, MCA, MIC, PRS, SPDP, SUPP, Pesaka, SAPP and others can contest in an election using their own party symbols.

I believe the people can accept such a united political body to break up Umno and PBB hegemony (in Sarawak). A direct coalition system acts as a check-and-balance against the dominance of an undemocratic, dictatorial kind of government.

After the 13th general election, these third force political parties can work out which of the two main Malay parties they wish to join en bloc or on individual basis.

Under a direct coalition system, a coalition partner is not tied down to a main or even a majority component party in the government.

It is a loose partnership whereby any partner can quit the government and join the opposition.

However, if the partners who quit have a majority of seats, they can proceed to form another new coalition government.

So there is freedom of choice – any party can join or leave the ruling party or the opposition.

Hence, in the formation of the federal government and the respective state governments in Malaysia, the direct coalition system is the best alternative for every minority party.

If all the minority parties in BN or opposition team up to join PKR and PAS, then Umno’s dominance is history at the national or state levels in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak.

ii) Cooperation pact in Sarawak

Within the state BN, especially for Sarawak, minor parties can work out a cooperation pact, namely with the newly revamped SUPP (Sarawak United People’s Party), PRS (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) and SPDP (Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party).

The latter two can even merge to form a stronger entity.

This kind of cooperation can form a Third Force at state level to counter PBB’s (Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu) hegemony of power.

If the Pesaka wing of PBB snaps and attaches itself to the grouping, the more the merrier.

If the state Pakatan wishes to join the pact, then PBB is completely encircled.

I believe a majority of the Malays would support such a pact.

This may compel some of the PBB leaders who are not aligned with Taib Mahmud to consider crossing over to PAS or PKR to further strengthen the third force in the state before the 13th national polls, though the state would not be holding any state election.

iii) Minority parties

DAP is already a full partner of the Pakatan coalition. There are many third force minor parties, including those in the BN, which can join the Pakatan allaince before the 13th general election.

After all, the BN minor parties are good as dead in the BN and under the clutches of Umno.

iv) Bersih coalition of NGOs

Bersih can play a crucial role to ensure Umno and PBB loses its hegemony by being part of the third force.

Since its success in launching Bersih 1.0 (November, 2007) and Bersih 2.0 (July 2011) – overcoming all the fears and confidence barrier – it should undertake a bigger and more responsible role.

Definitely the movement will change the voting trend in the coming general election.

v) Young voters

The advancement of information technology has given bloggers and online news portals an avenue to link up with the young voters through cyber space to keep them informed of current affairs in the country that is not available in the mainstream media.

With a good feedback of information, many of the young voters who are not aligned with any political party can change the voting trend in favour of the opposition.

Their concern is mainly their careers and earnings. Under the present administration, the abuses of power are definitely going to jeopardise their future.

vi) Umno factions

There are factions within Umno which are not aligned to Najib. Pakatan can strike a deal with these factions within Umno on the appointment of the next prime minister in the event the BN wins.

In accordance with Article 43.2.(2) of the Federal Constitution, the leader of a majority party cannot automatically become the prime minister but has to go for voting in the Dewan Rakyat (Parliament).

Whoever commands the confidence of the majority of the MPs shall be appointed as the chief executive of the government, that is, the prime minister.

MPs from both camps can work out an amicable solution as to the best and right person to be appointed as the prime minister by the Dewan Rakyat.

vii) General community

Pakatan should also create greater awareness among the people of the gross abuses of power by Umno that are detrimental to the future of all Malaysians.

All civil servants, including the police and the army, and rural folks should be informed of the need to change the government. The people have nothing to lose but to gain if Umno is removed from power.

PRM has not confirmed on creating Third Force with NGOs, says President

(Malaysian Digest) - Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) President Dr Rohana Ariffin today said that the party has not confirmed any move to join forces with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to offer itself as the 'third force' for the next general election.

Referring to a statement made by PRM's vice-president Koh Swe Yong in the Sun Daily yesterday, Dr Rohana said it was a statement made in his own capacity, and not a statement by PRM's central administration.
"Not a statement made by the party... it's a statement made by Koh's own capacity.

"The authenticity of PRM comes from statements made by the party's three leaders – president, deputy president and the secretary-general," she said when contacted by Malaysian Digest today.

She said, as far as the party is concerned, the decision to work with other groups is still in the process of discussion. She added that the same goes for the decision on the three parliamentary seats in Balik Pulau, Selayang and Petaling Jaya Selatan as to whether it is just a suggestion or an open negotiation because the party wishes to avoid three-cornered fights.

"We are still in the process of negotiation and have not confirmed anything yet... We are still working it out," she said when asked to comment on the possibility of the party working together with NGOs and contesting in the three parliamentary seats.

Nevertheless, Dr Rohana said other parties should not misconstrue the party's suggestion to contest in the general election.

However, she said for now PRM is planning to reestablish the party again by reactivating the branches in few states of the country.

"But for now our main focus is to rebuild the party by activating its branches in various states including Kedah, Penang, Pahang and Johor," she said.

Yesterday, the Sun Daily reported a statement from Koh that PRM is planning to join forces with more than 10 NGOs to offer themselves as the third force in the next general election.

However, according to a report in China Press on Dec 5, the third force’s (parties not under Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat) candidates will be contesting under the PRM banner, and the party has identified three parliamentary seats in the Klang Valley to contest in.

Anwar confirms met Ku Li, denies bid to coax defection

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim admitted meeting Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah “before” and “after” his failed September 16, 2008 takeover bid, but he denied enticing the Kelantan prince to defect to Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

The PR de facto leader refuted today a Wikileaks’ leaked US diplomatic cable which said that he (Anwar) had continued to claim Putrajaya through crossovers by seeking Tengku Razaleigh’s support.

Anwar told The Malaysian Insider that his meeting with the Gua Musang MP was no secret, and that it was merely to discuss “political issues.”

“There was a meeting, it is public knowledge, I met him (Tengku Razaleigh) before and after September 16.

“(But) we met because he wanted to be informed about issues, political issues,” Anwar (picture) said, and repeatedly stressed that there was no discussion about any form of crossovers.

“No, not like that. Not in that form,” Anwar added.

The leaked cable said that Anwar’s efforts were “inconclusive” as the Kelantan prince was said to be eyeing the prime minister’s spot personally.

In the cable, US ambassador James R. Keith told his government that the opposition leader had only altered his tone but not his goal nor his tactics, and had even stayed in contact with then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi through Khairy Jamaluddin before Datuk Seri Najib Razak took over in 2009.

PKR party leaders Chua Tian Chang (Tian Chua) and R. Sivarasa purportedly confirmed this when met by “polcouns”, or political counsellors, separately in November 3 and 5, believed to be in 2008, but added that their leader had relaxed his pace to a “lower key approach” after his failed September 16 plan.

But Anwar also denied today that he contacted Abdullah through Khairy.

“No, what the report (leaked cable) says is not right. There is no basis,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
The Rembau MP himself has refuted the leaked cable’s report, and said that he has “never met Anwar” secure the opposition’s support for Abdullah’s reform legacy before the prime minister stepped down from office in 2009.

The leaked US cable also said that Anwar had lost significant political momentum after the debacle but PKR planned to recoup its losses by finding ways to weaken the new administration, to be helmed by Najib in April 2009, with scandals like the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu and the Eurocopter aircraft purchase.

US ambassador Keith added that without sufficient ethnic Malay support, Anwar had banked his hopes on attracting Umno crossovers through approaching “losers” in the transition between Abdullah and Najib, namely Tengku Razaleigh or “Ku Li”, who was at the time the sole challenger to Najib’s impending Umno presidency.

Ku Li, however, insisted on taking on the prime minister’s post and, upon weighing in the odds, talks with the senior Umno leader produced no result, the ambassador said in the cable. The ambassador concluded that Anwar’s ability to attract the “losers” from the Abdullah-Najib transition remains “theoretical”.

In Anwar’s September 16 takeover plan, it was boasted that a major exodus involving the crossovers of over 30 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs would see Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wrest federal power.

The rumour mill was set spinning again recently over PR’s engagement with Ku Li, this time with claims that the Gua Musang MP would replace Anwar as opposition leader should the latter’s sodomy charges stick.

Ku Li’s Amanah likely to lead third force

Umno veteran says his group aims to be in the forefront of the fight against the country's "continuous disintegration".

UPDATED

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah hinted today that his new group, Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah), could possibly be the catalyst to a rising third force.

The Kelantan prince, in an inspiring speech at the launch of his new group, called on the silent majority to voice their discontent against “rife corruption, cronyism and racial crisis”.

Razaleigh said Amanah aims to be the platform for Malaysians to fight against what he sees as the country’s “continuous disintegration”, hinting at the group’s bid to be a non-partisan pressure group.

“I believe at the end of the road that we are taking in these early steps, we will be called upon to make several important decisions for the future of our nation – choices that we must take regardless of the problems, challenges and obstacle that we face,” he said.

“This morning could be another normal social event or it could be the beginning of a journey towards something that has never taken place before, that may change the current of our country’s future,” he said.
The setting up of Amanah has triggered speculation that Razaleigh, who has been highly critical of his own party’s leadership, no longer believes he could reform Umno from within.

Defection to the opposition could also see his reputation as an independent statesman tarnished. In a country without a strong third force, Razaleigh’s weight among the moderates and especially among the idealistic younger voters could be appealing.

Amanah’s ideology could also be a charm factor. Studies have shown that younger Malaysian voters tend to vote for the opposition given the lack of a credible middle choice, not due to partisan politics.
Amanah aims to rekindle the multi-racial spirit that was fought for by the country’s founding fathers. Their goal is to bring everyone who believe in Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra’s vision of a truly united Malaysia together.

Middle and moderate voice

The group, boasting multi-racial political veterans membership like former Sarawak deputy chief Minister Daniel Tajem, former tourism minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir and those still active like former MCA president Ong Tee Keat, could well fill in this gap.

While Razaleigh continued to pound the government, indirectly blaming them for worsening racism and dismal economic performance, he dropped more hints of Amanah’s possible third force role throughout his speech:

“We want to represent the middle and moderate voice that try to avoid confrontation with the authorities because we want to continue with our daily lives normally.

“If we do not do anything, the consequences will be horrible and the situation cannot be resolved. This is the time for the majority who have been silent to voice out”.

Razaleigh was not available to explain the real role of Amanah nor did he state how his group aims to achieve their objectives but said that they will be explained in due time.

Razaleigh, affectionately known as Ku Li, is touted to be the best candidate to lead the country next to Opposition Leader and former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Rumours were rife that the Gua Musang MP was approached by opposition leaders and offered the position should Pakatan Rakyat wrest federal power, but the former dismissed this.

And the prince makes his move…

Tengku Razaleigh's Amanah has sent the speculation mills into overdrive. Has the prince given up on Umno? Or will he now lead the third force?

KUALA LUMPUR: The new organisation set up by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah may signal the Kelantan prince’s disenchantment with Umno, suggested a prominent blogger.

He also believes that the veteran politician will not defend his Gua Musang parliamentary seat under the Barisan Nasional ticket.

In his blog MSOMalaysia, Mohd Sayuti Omar said Razaleigh’s Amanah (Angkatan Amanah Merdeka) reflected his frustration towards Umno and that the latter no longer believes he can reform the party from within.

“The question is what is the purpose of Amanah?

“Will it move to support Umno or go against Umno? Will Amanah that is said to be based on the legacy of Tunku Abdul Rahman forge cooperation with the opposition in the coming election?

“The logic is Razaleigh will not be enthusiastic about leading the NGO if it is not to repair Umno… (but) he has given thought about his future and has lost confidence in Umno. I can see from this that he will not contest under the BN ticket anymore,” he added.

Amanah to lead third force?

Amanah, to be launched this Friday, aims to rekindle the spirit of unity, justice and good governance as espoused by the country’s founding fathers which Razaleigh said is the duty of Umno to preserve.

The Gua Musang MP, however, has been critical towards the ruling party and made statements that Umno has deviated from its original struggle and is now corrupt.

The setting up of Amanah is seen as a platform to pursue this objective while some observers claim that the NGO may potentially be the leading platform for a third force given Razaleigh’s calibre as a respected politician.

A news report quoted Amanah central committee and PAS member Wan Saiful Wan Jan as saying that the NGO will have “prominent leaders” on its committee.

It is understood that the 15-20 member committee will also include leaders from BN as well as Pakatan Rakyat.

“You might be surprised when you see who is in the committee,” Wan Saiful said.

‘Those who lost faith in Najib’

Commenting on the composition of the committee, Sayuti said while there are no details, he is however confident that it will include Umno politicians who have lost faith in the party’s struggle.

“It will also comprise ex-top civil servants who no longer believe in Umno’s struggle and the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

“Who are they (members of the committee)? There are a few Umno veterans with Razaleigh and his loyal supporters. It also includes the children of Umno leaders who no longer believe in Umno, which has gone astray from its original struggle,” added the blogger.

Razaleigh was touted as the best candidate to lead the country next to his former Umno comrade, current Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, and was said to be in talks with Pakatan over such a prospect, but he denied the speculation.

Amanah will be launched at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial here where Razaleigh will be giving his keynote address.

In 1987, Razaleigh, a former finance minister, challenged the then Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad for the top post.

While Mahathir won the elections with a razor-thin majority, a dissatisfied Razaleigh took the matter to court and Umno was declared illegal.

Mahathir then re-established Umno as Umno Baru, and Razaleigh, who is affectionately known as Ku Li, formed Semangat 46.

Seven years later, he disbanded Semangat 46 and rejoined Umno.

In 2004, he announced his interest for the Umno top post yet again but failed to garner enough nominations to contest the presidency.

‘Third political force will split Indian votes’

The third force candidates will not support the opposition, instead it will act as spoilers to the advantage of BN candidates, according to the DAP.

GEORGE TOWN: The DAP is worried that the “third political force” will split the votes in many Indian constituencies and hand the seats over to the Barisan Nasional (BN).

DAP Bagan Dalam assemblyman, A Tanasekharan, said although the third force has every right to contest in elections, it should be backing Pakatan Rakyat if it wants to topple the BN.

He called on Malaysians to send a message in the next general election that they do not want a third force but a two-party system.

“They should give Pakatan a resounding victory,” he told FMT here today.

Observers say that the 13th general election will see a record number of parties and candidates contesting as independents.

While Pakatan is a three-party coalition, BN has 13 component parties with Umno as the dominant partner.

Since the 2008 general election, the country’s political landscape is dominated by the two-coalition and not two-party system.

The independent parties likely to contest in the coming general election are Kita, headed by former federal minister Zaid Ibrahim, Human Rights Party (HRP), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM).

The election is likely to see a socio-political movement, Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM), making its debut.

The movement is set to field its own candidates, which it believes would be better than Pakatan candidates or at least better than those who have defected.

However, Tanasekharan is convinced that all these groups would not be a force to be reckoned with, but rather would disrupt Pakatan’s march to Putrajaya.

Playing ‘spoilers’ role

Accusing the parties of just being spoilers, he said the imminent multi-cornered fights in many constituencies would be mainly a Pakatan versus third force contest, giving BN an easy ride to retaining the federal government.

He alleged that HRP, for instance, wanted only to defeat Indian candidates from Pakatan.
“HRP terms Pakatan Indian leaders as mandores. HRP is not going to win seats by fielding candidates in areas with sizeable Indian voters. This will allow only BN to win,” he said.

Led by former ISA detainee P Uthayakumar, HRP plans to contest 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats, including Bagan Dalam, that have a majority of Indian voters.

HRP central executive committee member S Thiagarajan said the established, capable and experienced Pakatan candidates should not be worried of HRP’s presence.

He said that HRP would rely heavily on Indian support to have any chance of scoring one or two upset wins unlike Pakatan, which can derive support from all communities with its multi-racial platform.
He added that HRP would not have decided to contest in the next election if Pakatan had fulfilled its 18-point demand for the betterment of the Indian community.

He said the Pakatan governments in Selangor, Penang and Kedah, for instance, should guarantee the Indian community in writing that all Tamil schools in the respective states will be given free land for their schools.

There are 98 Tamil schools in Selangor, 56 in Kedah and 28 in Penang.

He said under the National Land Code, this could easily be done by the respective menteri besar and chief minister with the stroke of a pen.

On Kita, Tanasekharan said that its main enemies are PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim and his PKR.

"Kuburkan BN atau bina kuasa ketiga"

Let us accept as a fact for debate that the people want a change from being governed by BN. That does not entitle Pakatan Rakyat to say that they are the only ones that have the legitimate right to fight for this change. No individual, political party or organization in this country has the absolute right, or will ever have the right, to say that only they can decide who can or cannot battle for the hearts of the voters, and the future of the nation.
By Dr. Paraman
Salam sejahtera diucapkan kepada semua hadirin hadirat yang dihormati sekalian.

Sebelum saya mula ucapan ini, izinkan saya untuk mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada Parti Sosialis Malaysia kerana sudi mengundang kami untuk mengambil bahagian dalam forum ini.

My name is Dr Paraman. I am a Malaysian. I come here representing Mr Uthayakumar of The Human Rights Party of Malaysia.

We have come this morning as a friend of Pakatan Rakyat and as true friends, we shall only say what we feel will truly benefit the people of this nation in the next. We have not come here to be apple polishers.

The invitation letter states that 'the 13th GE, memberi peluang terbaik untuk Pakatan Rakyat mengambil alih pemerintahan negara'.

'Namun demikian, kebelakangan ini terdapat pelbagai kenyataan yang menonjolkan sifat-sifat Kuasa Ketiga (The Third Force). Sudah pastinya kewujudan suatu kuasa ketiga ini boleh membawa padah kepada perjuangan rakyat yang menuntut pertukaran kerajaan BN kepada PR'. Meaning that there are some out there who will be acting as spoilers to the perjuangan rakyat.

Now, lets not get carried away. Pakatan Rakyat managed to get 3.79 million votes in the last GE, out of 10.74 million people who were registered to vote from a total of 15.2 million Malaysians who were eligible to vote. That too with the help of numerous organizations in this country, some of whom are present today.

With all due respect, 3.8 out of 15 million votes does not constitute 'perjuangan rakyat'.  What does that then make the 4 million votes that BN won?? Also Pakatan Rakyat hanya adalah pakatan di antara DAP, PAS dan PKR and perhaps PSM juga dan bukanlah pakatan antara semua golongan atau lapisan rakyat.

Let us accept as a fact for debate that the people want a change from being governed by BN. That does not entitle Pakatan Rakyat to say that they are the only ones that have the legitimate right to fight for this change. No individual, political party or organization in this country has the absolute right, or will ever have the right, to say that only they can decide who can or cannot battle for the hearts of the voters, and the future of the nation.

The only right that any political party has is to decide who they pick as their allies, and who they will consider as their opponents. And that will be something that Pakatan Rakyat will have to consider very seriously before the next GE, if they truly want to have any chance at all of capturing Putrajaya.

The letter also states, 'Semua ahli panel juga diseru memfokuskan kepada isu pokok iaitu bagaimana hendak menewaskan BN'.

So we are here to discuss how Pakatan Rakyat can defeat BN in the next GE. The answer is simple, that is by getting way more than the 3.8 million votes that Pakatan Rakyat won the last time.
To be safe, let us just say that Pakatan Rakyat will need in excess of 5 million votes to win Putrajaya.

Now, how can they do this?

We all know that UMNO and its thousand odd warlords are the real political masters of this country. But these thousand odd warlords need the help of their boys in MCA, MIC and Gerakan as well as all those other pro BN parties to win enough votes to stay in power. Without these lackeys, the UMNO warlords will not be able to even win a hamper at a lucky draw.

Can DAP, PAS and PKR say that they have the ability and resources to battle all 17 BN component parties, to reach the entire voter spectrum, to ensure that they will be able to get into the homes and hearts of every red blooded voter out there and say that we represent your dreams for this great country? Can you?

Can Pakatan Rakyat even guarantee, as things stand today, that they will be able to at least match the 3.8 million votes that they won the last term, if the elections were called tomorrow?

It cannot be denied that the political picture has become muddled and chaotic, and that BN has to a certain extent regained some measure of the support they lost in the last GE. Can Pakatan Rakyat stop this slide, and make themselves once again the best choice for the voters out there?

If things were indeed going according to track, we will not be here today, having this discussion would we?

The only reason there is a rise of new players, who are anti BN, and yet not a part of Pakatan Rakyat, is because there are voters out there who have lost some measure of faith in Pakatan Rakyat as being the best choice there is. Whether these new players are called the third force or not, is partly in the hands of the component parties of Pakatan Rakyat.

If the matlamat is to kuburkan BN, then Pakatan must acknowledge that it needs help to achieve this feat.

This is a divided nation, with race, language,class, religion, geography and social history being the factors in the many divides we have here. Unless Pakatan Rakyat shows that it can fit the real needs of all the Malaysians out there, regardless of which box they may fall into, then it cannot have a chance of beating the broader reach of BN.

If Pakatan Rakyat chooses to label anyone as a third force or as a spoiler, and at the same time does not want to accommodate, accept and engage the same as their allies in the struggle to topple BN, then they have only themselves to be blamed.

If PAS and DAP, from entirely different planets in terms of ideology can work together to change things, why does Pakatan Rakyat not want to consider any other anti BN force out there as an ally?

We cannot speak on behalf of anyone else. But we can guarantee that HRP will contest in at least 15 parliamentary and 38 state seats in the next GE. And we will do this alone, or as part of a partnership with anyone that considers BN as their opponent, including Pakatan Rakyat. But the decision that we will contest is not negotiable, as we have nothing to lose, just like the Malaysians that we fight for.

All HRP can say is this; we can take on anyone in BN for at least 500k of the 700-800k Indian voters out there, and mind you, most of these votes will be in crucial rural constituencies where it is going to make a huge difference to Pakatan Rakyat or BN. Whether this becomes a part of the votes needed for Pakatan Rakyat to capture Putrajaya is really up to them.

Regarding the 3 questions:

Q1 : Apakah sepatutnya matlamat kita dalam PRU ke 13 - Kuburkan BN atau bina kuasa ketiga?

A : Kuburkan 'minda BN' di kalangan semua. Apakah 'minda BN' ini? 'Minda BN' adalah sifat tiada toleransi antara kaum, sikap hanya mengutamakan golongan majoriti dan individu2 kroni tertentu sahaja, sikap melabelkan apa-apa jua tuntutan golongan minoriti yang paling tertindas dan teraniaya selama lebih 4 dekad sebagai rasis semata-mata sebagai helah untuk mengelakkan diri daripada mencari penyelesaian yang terbaik dan mutlak untuk masalah-masalah berkenaan. 'Minda BN' juga merangkumi perangai tidak mahu mendapatkan konsensus semua dan tiada budi untuk membalas surat-surat tentang tuntutan dan masalah rakyat yang di kemukakan.

To bury the 'BN mindset' in all of us is far more relevant than just the mere concept of burying BN as a coalition party by itself.

Q2 : Apakah tuntutan2 utama rakyat yang anda rasa boleh membawa perubahan ke Putrajaya?

A : I feel this question is just too wide to be covered in 3 mins. I couldn't possibly do justice by covering it in such a short space of time. However what I do suggest is that all the political party's secretary generals in this forum, meet up in a series of closed door sessions and iron out their differences and come up with proper solutions for all the people in this country. So can Mr Arul organize this?

Q3. Apakah perkara yang harus di tumpu atau di hindari dari sekarang jika hendak melangkah ke Putrajaya?

A : We feel Pakatan Rakyat should mature from just being an alternative government which is aiming only to get into Putrajaya into becoming the real and caring government for all people that views long term governance. Pakatan Rakyat will have to dare to make aggressive changes that has been long due. That is moving away from the naked manipulation of Malay support (like what UMNO does) to grooming Malay support based on facts, intelligence, conscience and brotherhood of all races. Love has to be made the very base and foundation. Positive values derived from love for all is to be infused to all.
Visualize your dream for Malaysia. See the Utopia that you want, then prescribe it to the people.

Biarlah PAS berjuang untuk hak-hak golongan India yang tertindas supaya HINDRAF dapat berjuang untuk hak orang Melayu yang miskin. Biarlah orang Semenanjung berjuang untuk hak asasi orang Sabah/Sarawak supaya mereka pula dapat berjuang untuk keadilan di Semenanjung.
The rich must help the poor, the majority must help the minority.
Sama-samalah kita kuburkanlah minda 'BN'  dalam kalangan semua demi keadilan untuk semua dalam erti kata yang sebenarnya.

Love All Serve All

Sai Ra

MCLM wants a single coalition to oust BN

Raja Petra: MCLM has been hard at work with the Sarawak National Party (Snap) in Sarawak and the United Borneo Front (UBF) in Sabah in trying to build an alliance with forces in Sabah and Sarawak.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 — The Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) issued a guarantee today that it would work with all opposition parties as a single coalition to oust Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next general election.

MCLM founder Raja Petra Kamarudin said that the London-based movement would first form a pact with opposition parties in Sabah and Sarawak before forming a cooperation with Peninsular Malaysian parties to ensure straight fight with BN.

“Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan have 57 seats in Parliament. As I said in my earlier article, Sabah and Sarawak are critical to our having a chance of forming a reform government in Putrajaya post 13th general election,” said Raja Petra in an article published by Free Malaysia Today.

“MCLM has been hard at work with the Sarawak National Party (Snap) in Sarawak and the United Borneo Front (UBF) in Sabah in trying to build an alliance with forces in Sabah and Sarawak. We hope in the coming days that we will be able to announce the formation of such an alliance,” he added.

Out of the 57 seats in East Malaysia only Kuching, Sibu and Kota Kinabalu are held by the opposition, DAP. The rest are under BN control, which gave BN the majority it needed in the 222-member Parliament to form the government.

“Should a Snap-UBF-MCLM alliance be successfully forged, MCLM hopes to be able, with its alliance partners, to work out a further alliance with the other non-Barisan Nasional parties in Sabah, Sarawak, and Semenanjung with one objective in mind: to forge a coalition to displace Barisan Nasional in the next election and to install a pro-reform federal government in Putrajaya,” said Raja Petra.

MCLM is scheduled to hold a joint press conference with Snap and UBF which was founded by former PKR vice-president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan who quit the party recently.

“It is hoped that with these alliances in place, straight fights in the forthcoming 13th GE will be assured and that any three-corner contests are Barisan Nasional’s own doing,” said the founder of Malaysia Today political website.

Raja Petra also stressed that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) cannot overthrow BN on its own and must with group such as MCLM.

“Realistically, Pakatan Rakyat cannot do this on its own. In fact, no one political party can do this on its own. What is needed is a collective of all pro-rakyat, pro-reform political parties working together with the Third Force, made up of reform-oriented NGOs and the rakyat who are ready to work for change,” said Raja Petra.

The MCLM had offered four candidates to contest against BN in the 13th general election and plans to introduce 30 before the dissolution of the current Parliament.

The movement emerged after PKR lost six of its MPs who became BN-friendly independents following disagreement with the federal opposition leaders.

The MCLM’s initiative however has not been welcomed by PR leaders, with PKR deputy president Azmin Ali saying that the potential candidates would only be accepted if they are willing to toe the party line.

Third Force candidate won’t compromise stand for seat

KUALA LUMUR, Feb 15 – MP aspirant Sreekant Pillai said today he will not toe PKR’s pre-conditions in exchange for a ticket in the coming 13th general elections.

“As far as I am concerned, I’m going in as an independent,” the 37-year-old lawyer and son of the late MGG Pillai, a noted journalist, told The Malaysian Insider in response to PKR’s announcement that it will only consider candidates from non-Pakatan Rakyat (PR) groups if they agree to the coalition’s policies.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali had said the party is open to candidates from organisations such as the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) so long as they stick to its policies.

“We can discuss with them. But if they still want to be independent, what’s the point?” the Gombak MP had said of MCLM, which has said they will offer 30 “defection-proof” candidates to PKR.

Sreekant, who is one of the five hopefuls who have been named by MCLM to date, said PKR was entitled to set up its own rules and structures but questioned the sudden introduction of party policy.

If elected, MCLM said that its candidates will decide on issues based on their conscience rather than the coalition’s consensus.

He noted that the other two PR partners had fielded non-member candidates before without any strings attached and named the late Zaitun “Toni” Kassim as an example.

The civil activist had, in 1999, stood in Selayang as an independent candidate on a DAP ticket.

Sreekant said he was not worried that he would lose the chance to contest because of this.

His fellow election candidate hopeful Malik Imtiaz Sarwar declined comment except to say he is “happy that PKR is open to the possibilities. There is much to talk about though.”

The MCLM is understood to have 17 potential candidates to offer to date, with several likely to stand for federal seats in Sarawak.

The outfit’s president, Haris Ibrahim, said he will be announcing a few more names this week.

The MCLM and two Sarawak-based political groups, Snap and United Borneo Front (UBF), are expected to scheduled to hold a joint news conference at its headquarters here tomorrow.

Azmin, who is also election director, said that PKR’s top leadership including de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim held a meeting with PSM over the weekend to discuss seat allocation for the next general election.

“They have been loyal to us, more so than some of those who ran and defected. So, we have no problems giving them another two seats as long as they continue to stand with us,” he said of the party that had also contested in 2004 and 2008 under PKR’s symbol.

PSM president Dr Nasir Hashim won the Kota Damansara seat in the Selangor state legislative assembly admitted meeting Anwar but declined to comment when contacted today.

“We’ve decided not to make any comments until our meeting tomorrow,” he said, adding that the issue would be among the top topics of discussion.

Of the four candidates who ran in 2008, PSM claimed two victories as Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj won PSM’s first-ever parliamentary seat by defeating then-MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu in Sungai Siput while PSM president Dr Nasir Hashim won the Kota Damansara seat in the Selangor state legislative assembly.

PKR’s chief strategist Rafizi Ramli had told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview that it was wary of accepting candidates offered by MCLM because it wanted to avoid making the same “mistake” of 2008 where it had picked candidates who could not withstand the pressure and challenges of being a lawmaker.

Since then, six of its MPs have left within a year.

The latest defections from the party are Sabah PKR chief Pajudin Nordin who joined Umno and Padang Serai MP N. Gobalakrishnan. Datuk Zaid Ibrahim left last November during the party’s fractious elections and is now helming Parti Kita.

Will 'third force' make an impact in elections?

The third force has become the talk of the town but its identity, character and convictions - hence likely impact - have been rather vague. SHUHADA ELIS and ELVINA FERNANDEZ report

New Straits Times

THE "third force" has been in the news, mainly online. It is commonly thought to relate to individuals or groupings of individuals not affiliated to any political organisation.

It seems their presence has unnerved political parties ahead of the next general election.

The emergence of the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM), for instance, apparently has reinforced the belief that the choices are not confined to two dominant political players any more.

Now, the electorate has a third choice.

But what is the "third force?"

Some see them as universalists.

And, according to a former Umno minister, they represent a segment of people who are least-satisfied with the government.

Enough watchers look at them with some degree of cynicism, describing them as "a loose association of mutually-admiring individuals".

Others, such as Pas unity chairman Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, believed the group has surfaced as a result of protests by those who are not in favour of Pakatan Rakyat policies.

In essence Mujahid is hinting that the "third force" is made up of Pakartan supporters.

And, disgruntled Pakatan supporters? Everybody seems to have their own idea on the third force but it gets really vague when it comes to naming or identifying them.

Already, political observers and analysts believe that MCLM is a third force, but the movement viewed itself differently.

MCLM chairman Raja Petra Kamarudin had written in his blog that it aimed to complement political parties in addressing important issues concerning Malaysian politics.

People within the "third force" community tend to disagree about their identity.

"The third force carries an ugly connotation," president of MCLM Haris Ibrahim recently said.

MCLM has set up the Barisan Rakyat Independent Initiative which identifies and supports candidates to contest against Barisan Nasional in the next general election.

It has named two candidates -- both lawyers -- to contest in the 13th general election, and offered to assist Pakatan Rakyat in the Tenang by-election on Jan 30.

Universiti Sains Malaysia political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian did not rule out the possibility that the third force impact could split the votes, if there was a three-cornered fight.

MCLM second candidate Sreekanth Pillai, who regards himself as an independent candidate, said he was not bound to by anyone's instructions.

"It is up to me whether I want to contest on a Pakatan ticket or go as an independent," Sreekanth said.

His target segment?

"Urban seats," he said, adding that he would use the social network and one-on-one approach to reach out to voters.

Constituencies such as Bangsar, for instance, may very well be a likely "third force" contesting ground.

But local leaders feel it would be hard for newcomers to penetrate into the area's political scene.

Although, generally, Bangsar residents are from the private sector middle-income group, there are government servants in the lower-income group as well.

The lack of clarity on their identity, presence and directions makes it easier for one to say that the rightful place of this third force is on the periphery.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Law and Policy Studies lecturer Dr Kartini Aboo Talib therefore said the impact of the third force would exist but would be weak.

Malaysian political culture was still obliged to patron-client or master-servant terms, she said.

There are questions whether the birth of another political party, such as Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita), led by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, can be regarded as the "third force".

Analysts recently said that the party would find it hard to cope unless it managed to pull an influx of members.

Zaid, who left Parti Keadilan Rakyat last November, pinned much hope on this "brand new politics".

"They can say whatever they want but we believe we will be the party of the future," he said when contacted.

As whether the third force would carry an impact in the next general election, DAP Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament Tony Pua seemed to echo his Pas comrade on the worry of dealing with split votes.

"I'm sure the outcome will be more positive if the third force works with Pakatan," he said.

Failing which, the future may likely be ugly for Pakatan.

3rd Force joining BN : No thank you PM.Najib. HINDRAF and HRP is more committed than PR to end UMNO/BN rule of Putrajaya for 53 long years, which has brought the Indian poor to this downtrodden state

 

3rd Force joining BN : No thank you PM.Najib. HINDRAF and HRP is more committed than PR to end UMNO/BN rule of Putrajaya for 53 long years, which has brought the Indian poor to this downtrodden state.

S.JAYATHAS

Information Chief

Najib open to ‘Third Force’ joining BN (Malaysiakini)

Najib Razak said today the emergence of the so-called ‘Third Force’ shows dissatisfaction with the PKR leadership.

"Whether they remain a third force (within PKR) or leave to join the party Zaid (Ibrahim) wants to form or enter Umno … it all stamps from the crisis gripping the party (PKR)," the prime minister told reporters after opening the MAHA 2010 exhibition here.

Najib was asked to comment on the statement of PKR deputy president senator Dr Syed Husin Ali that the existence of the ‘Third Force’ could make it difficult for Pakatan Rakyat to win big in the next general election.

Opening the Angkatan Women and Youth Congress yesterday, he said the group should be handled wisely and could not be taken lightly.

They can be associate/affiliate members

Asked whether Barisan Nasional and Umno were prepared to accept the group, Najib said they were always open.

"They can become associate members, affiliate members (of BN) and so on. We are open and inclusive in our attitude to draw more people to Barisan and Umno," he said.

He denied that Barisan was allowing direct membership because it was hard pressed to find second line leaders.

"No, we are not hard pressed. What it means is that BN is changing with the times… and this is important. We cannot stick to old procedures and structures when the political environment has changed.

Asked if the ‘Third Force’ would change and support BN, Najib said: "I don’t know yet, it depends … we will see how it develops but this is the result of loss of confidence among the PKR members."

- Bernama

PKR in two minds over ‘Third Force’ candidates

PETALING JAYA, Nov 27 — PKR leaders remained undecided over the plans by an independent group to propose a slate of election candidates for the party, preferring to stick to its internal process.

PKR information chief Latheefa Koya admitted the party had compromised on the quality of candidates in the last election but said that the process has been improved since the formation of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) after Election 2008.

She also pointed out that the party’s success in the last general election had managed to attract more talents into the party.

“In 2008, there was no Pakatan Rakyat, so our priority for PKR, DAP and PAS was to ensure a straight fight with Barisan Nasional (BN),” Latheefa told The Malaysian Insider.

“We had to compromise on the quality of candidates. The qualified ones were not ready, because if they lose they would have lost everything,” she said.

“Now in some seats we have two to three people lining up to be the candidate,” said Latheefa (picture), who was one of the party’s strategists in Petaling Jaya in the last general election campaign.

When opening PKR’s Youth and Wanita congress, outgoing deputy president Senator Dr Syed Husin Ali asked the party to handle the “Third Force” with care and said that the group could prevent PR from achieving a huge victory in the next general election.

The ongoing PKR congress however has been silent on the issue, preferring to focus on the status of de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The initiative to prepare candidates for the general election is led by lawyer-cum-blogger Haris Ibrahim and his group called the Barisan Rakyat.

Haris had said that the objective of the group is to offer strong candidates who would not switch allegiance in case PR forms the next federal government.

The candidates, who have been vetted through a stringent process, would only contest as independents if they are rejected by PR parties.

The group of activists and bloggers has been campaigning against BN since before Election 2008, which saw the ruling coalition losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time and losing control of four states.

They were also behind a manifesto called the People’s Declaration that was endorsed by all PR parties ahead of the 12th general election.
The group was also influential in mobilising urban voters to back PR candidates in 2008.
Today, Latheefa described the move to force PKR to accept a list of outsiders as candidates as unfair.
“So now they are presenting a list of people who have not shown any commitment to the organisation. Which organisation will accept this? We are presented with another risk,” she said.

Latheefa did not think that the group’s candidates would affect PKR’s votes if they were to contest as independents.

“I doubt it very much. I don’t want to sound arrogant but in our history people have always voted for familiar symbols. People still go for organisational back-up,” she said.

Meanwhile, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution distanced the party from the group’s initiative but was non-committal when asked if PR parties would accept its candidates.

“This initiative was started by a group of civil society activists who believe they have a role. They believe that the time has come for them to be active in politics,” said Saifuddin when stressing that the existence of such an initiative should be seen as a sign of disunity in the party.

“Currently, candidate selection process is an internal affair. However the opposition has shown that in the past we have fielded candidates from NGOs to represent the party,” he said, pointing out that the DAP had allowed feminist the late Zaitun Kassim to contest in Selayang in 1999.

“Whether the policy is still in force is yet to be discussed,” said the Machang MP.

BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the “Third Force” is proof of dissatisfaction with the PKR leadership.

The prime minister also said “Third Force” members are welcome to join the ruling coalition as direct or associate members under its new rules.

Najib open to 'Third Force' joining BN

Bernama) - Najib Razak said today the emergence of the so-called 'Third Force' shows dissatisfaction with the PKR leadership.

"Whether they remain a third force (within PKR) or leave to join the party Zaid (Ibrahim) wants to form or enter Umno ... it all stamps from the crisis gripping the party (PKR)," the prime minister told reporters after opening the MAHA 2010 exhibition here.

Najib was asked to comment on the statement of PKR deputy president senator Dr Syed Husin Ali that the existence of the 'Third Force' could make it difficult for Pakatan Rakyat to win big in the next general election.

Opening the Angkatan Women and Youth Congress yesterday, he said the group should be handled wisely and could not be taken lightly.

Asked whether Barisan Nasional and Umno were prepared to accept the group, Najib said they were always open.

"They can become associate members, affiliate members (of BN) and so on. We are open and inclusive in our attitude to draw more people to Barisan and Umno," he said.

He denied that Barisan was allowing direct membership because it was hard pressed to find second line leaders.

"No, we are not hard pressed. What it means is that BN is changing with the times... and this is important. We cannot stick to old procedures and structures when the political environment has changed.

Asked if the 'Third Force' would change and support BN, Najib said: "I don't know yet, it depends ... we will see how it develops but this is the result of loss of confidence among the PKR members."

The Third Force: Crisis or opportunity?

If the Third Force also has the good intention of ending BN’s rule, Pakatan Rakyat should by all means engage with them to field good candidates in the coming General Election. By good candidates, it means that they are morally upright and financially sound. They must also be honourable citizens who are well-known for their contributions to the well-being of society.

Selena Tay, Harakah

John F. Kennedy once said, "when written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters – one represents ‘danger’ and the other represents ‘opportunity’".

This applies to the current situation facing Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as there has been talk that a 'third force' will be contesting in the coming 13th General Elections. Talk is also rife that candidates from this Third Force group will contest under the Pakatan banner but they will be Independent if voted in as MPs in Parliament.

So, is this going to be a crisis or opportunity for Pakatan?

Frankly speaking, this writer is of the view that although this is not really too good for Pakatan, it is not too bad either if the Third Force candidates are Pakatan-friendly. This is because if they are candidates of good-calibre, why not? After all, a few of the opposition candidates who contested in 2008 have been proven to be inefficient and coupled with their numerous personal problems have turned BN-friendly.

In situations of war, we must not be too rigid in our thinking. This is aptly illustrated in the famous military classic history summarised below:

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, there was a cruel and powerful warlord named Cao Cao who had great military might. Another warlord named Liu Bei had just lost a great battle to Cao Cao and was feeling very down and dejected. His advisors then advised him to seek out the counsel of the master strategist called Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang who believed in the cause of justice and freedom from oppression advised Liu Bei to forge an alliance with another warlord called Sun Quan. Liu Bei did not really like Sun Quan but he had no choice as he was short on resources. To cut a long story short, the alliance of Liu Bei and Sun Quan finally defeated Cao Cao in the famous Battle Of Red Cliff.

In over 1,600 years of war in Ancient China, many military strategies have been recorded for posterity as military treatises for future references and study. One of the greatest lessons learnt in war is that situations on the battleground are very fluid, changes occur very quickly, unexpected problems crop up and therefore we have to re-adapt and re-adjust accordingly. Many times too, plans needed to be changed at the 11th hour and alliances must be forged whether we like it or not.

There is a well-known saying which goes like this: ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’. In simpler terms it is summed up as thus: ‘we must unite to fight against the same common enemy’.

If the Third Force also has the good intention of ending BN’s rule, Pakatan Rakyat should by all means engage with them to field good candidates in the coming General Election. By good candidates, it means that they are morally upright and financially sound. They must also be honourable citizens who are well-known for their contributions to the well-being of society.

While the Third Force is busy looking for potential candidates, I would like to advise Pakatan Rakyat to be doing the same now. If PR has good candidates, it will have stronger bargaining power with the 3rd Force. We don’t want last-minute opportunists using the Pakatan banner to contest in the elections only to serve their own selfish interests after gaining victory.

By negotiating with the Third Force to field their candidates under the PR banner in strategic locations in a one-to-one fight with BN, Pakatan have much to gain from this alliance.

There is no point for PR to be stubborn in fielding their own candidate if the quality of the candidate is pathetic resulting in a 3-cornered fight which will only benefit BN. Therefore, this writer thinks now an opportunity has presented itself for PR to have access to a larger pool of able and credible candidates by forging an alliance with this Third Force.

At the end of the day, the end result must be a victory for the Pakatan side and in order to achieve this there must a certain amount of compromise from the Third Force and also from Pakatan which will result in a win-win situation for both and a win against BN.

Perhaps those who read this article will not agree with this writer but this is as sound a military strategy as can be hammered out considering the circumstances of the current political scenario.

Selena Tay is a member of PAS Supporters Congress (DHPP).

Third Force unlikely to impact Malaysia

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid and Rahmah Ghazali - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is not ready for a third force in politics. Analysts said the prospect of Zaid Ibrahim leading the third force is also unlikely to bolster its growth.

The third force, comprising bloggers and leading figures in civil society groups, is looking to pull the former law minister into their camp in a bid to add weight to its light presence. Zaid is expected to quit PKR by the end of this month after a disastrous fallout with the party's top leadership.

According to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaya political analyst, Professor Shamsul Amri, Malaysia's political history has shown that it is not accommodative of a third movement.

He said the excitement around a third force often wither away fast.

He cited the 1987 Umno crisis when juggernaut Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah left the ruling Malay party Umno to form Semangat 46 in 1989 after losing to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the contest for Umno's supreme post.

Razaleigh, who was the finance minister at that time, lost only by a razor thin deficit.

Political pundits felt Mahathir's narrow win signaled a strong support towards Razaleigh and the formation of his new party was hailed as the start of a genuinely capable third force.

The excitement, however, was short lived as Semangat 46, pressured by strained relations with the opposition, saw its members and key figures returning to Umno. The party was subsequently disbanded in 1996 and Razaleigh too rejoined Umno.

"(So) I don't think having a third force around will work in Malaysia.. third force in Malaysia is (almost) non-existence," he told FMT, adding that Zaid is a "nobody" without the support of either Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.

Eroding popularity

UCSI lecturer and political analyst Ong Kian Ming believes that while Zaid has all the necessary qualities to lead a third force and his progressive ideals appeal to those who make up the movement, his recent tirades against PKR have exposed his poor acumen which may hurt the group.

"On paper he is the right person but then again Zaid is the type that its either his way or the highway and the characters in the third force are also uncompromising," he said pointing out the possible of personality conflicts between Zaid and leaders of the third force.

He noted that Zaid's popularity is eroding among opposition supporters following his constant attack against PKR's top leadership.

Zaid has claimed that he has been victimised by PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim who is said to favour his right-hand man, vice-president Azmin Ali, for the deputy presidential post.

The perceived failure to provide solid evidence to back his allegations of malpractices in the party's ongoing direct elections have also dented Zaid's image among his adoring followers.

Many fear he will drag this dark cloud into the third force should he lead the movement said Ong.

And this could be detrimental and repel support towards them, added the political analyst.

Group co-ordinator, lawyer and blogger, Haris Ibrahim is planning to lead the group into multi-cornered fights in up to 30 of the 222 parliamentary seats which are being held or are to be contested by PKR in a move that may split the votes and dent the party's effort to lead Pakatan to Putrajaya.

Ong believes that the group's chances are bright in urban areas, where a more liberal electorate is growing more disillusioned by the brand of politics espoused by both Pakatan and BN.

Kuasa Ketiga untuk PRU 13: 16 orang telah menawar diri, Haris Ibrahim

"Kuasa ketiga" bakal meletakkan calon yang berkualiti untuk mengisi kekosongan Pakatan Rakyat dalam Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13, menurut pelopornya, Haris Ibrahim.  Peguam hak asasi manusia ini menafikan bahawa Zaid Ibrahim adalah sebahagian daripada gerakan ini, sambil memaklumkan bahawa 16 orang telah menawar diri untuk menjadi calon bebas dalam PRU akan datang.

Haris Ibrahim telah menyatakan hasratnya untuk membentuk "Kuasa Ketiga" sejak awal Ogos tahun ini.  Matlamatnya adalah memilih mereka yang berkualiti dari masyarakat sivil untuk dijadikan calon, agar peristiwa lompat parti untuk kepentingan diri oleh ahli parlimen pembangkang tidak berulang.  Cadangan ini mengundang pujian dan kritikan setelah diutarakan.  Mereka yang kecewa dengan PR bertepuk tangan, sementara ada yang menganggap ia terlalu "naif" - kerana tindakan ini bakal memecah-belahkan kekuatan pembangkang.

Haris Ibrahim menjelaskan kepada MerdekaReview bahawa menumpaskan Barisan Nasional adalah matlamat yang dikongsi bersama oleh "kuasa ketiga" dan PR.  Namun demikian, PR kekurangan calon yang berkualiti untuk bertanding di kesemua 222 kawasan parlimen.  Oleh itu, "kuasa ketiga" cuba mendapatkan mereka yang berkualiti tetapi tidak berniat untuk menyertai mana-mana parti politik dari masyarakat sivil, untuk ditawarkan kepada PR.

"Kemudian, terserahlah kepada Pakatan Rakyat untuk membuat keputusan.  Mereka sendiri yang kekurangan calon," katanya ketika dihubungi MerdekaReview, semalam.

Namun, ketika ditanya sama ada "perang tiga penjuru" bakal menghakis sokongan terhadap PR, Haris Ibrahim berkata, "Tengoklah PRK Batu Sapi, perang tiga penjuru tetap wujud walaupun tiada masyarakat sivil."

Kuncinya, calon terbaik harus diletakkan untuk bertanding, tegas Haris Ibrahim.

Ketika ditanya kayu ukur penilaian calon, beliau berkata piawaiannya telah ditetapkan PKR sendiri.  "Kuasa ketiga" akan menilai calon berdasarkan kayu ukur yang ditetapkan PKR.  Sambil mengambil ahli parlimen Kelana Jaya Loh Gwo-Burne (gambar kanan) sebagai contoh, Haris berkata mereka sudi menerima Loh sebagai calon, seandainya Loh lulus mengikut kayu ukur PKR.

Sebaliknya, Haris mempersoalkan, "Jikalau Loh Gwo-Burne sudah tidak lulus mengikut kayu ukur kamu sendiri (PKR), mengapa masih lagi diletakkannya sebagai calon?"

Integriti menjadi keutamaan

Beliau memaklumkan bahawa keutamaan yang diberikan ketika memilih calon bukan berasaskan prestasi calon tersebut, tetapi integriti - untuk mengelakkan peristiwa keluar parti seperti Zulkifli Nordin, Wee Choo Keong, Zahrain Hashim dan sebagainya daripada berlaku.

Haris berkata, daripada 222 kerusi parlimen, BN dan pro-BN mempunyai 146 sementara PR mempunyai 76 kerusi, menunjukkan bahawa PR kelihatan tidak mempunyai calon berintegriti yang mencukupi untuk bertanding.

"Seandainya PR menang dalam PRU ke-13, dan Anwar Ibrahim mengangkat sumpah sebagai Perdana Menteri.  BN menawarkan RM2 bilion, dan kita akan menyaksikan satu lagi krisis Perak," katanya.

Haris turut memaklumkan bahawa setakat ini, terdapat 16 orang calon yang "sangat baik" telah menawar diri sebagai calon bebas.

Haris Ibrahim berkata, beliau mencadangkan tiga usaha untuk gerakan di bawah inisiatif masyarakat sivil ini.  Selain menawarkan calon bebas yang berintegriti, dan berpendirian sama dengan PR dalam isu berhubung kepentingan rakyat, mereka juga akan menyebarkan maklumat tentang masyarakat sivil, malah memulakan gerakan peringkat kebangsaan untuk menyeru agar rakyat menghukum parti politik yang terlebih belanja ketika berkempen.

"Akta Pilihan Raya menetapkan bahawa perbelanjaan di setiap kawasan pengundian (parlimen) tidak boleh melebihi RM200 ribu.  Tetapi dalam PRK Hulu Selangor, RM100 juta telah dibelanjakan."

Nafi berkempen untuk Zaid

Satu mesyuarat tertutup dijadualkan pada hujung minggu lalu di kalangan wakil dari masyarakat sivil untuk menubuhkan satu jawatankuasa untuk gerakan tersebut, namun terpaksa digugurkan kerana kehadiran yang terlalu rendah.  Haris Ibrahim memberitahu bahawa satu mesyuarat meja bulat akan dipanggil pada 19 Disember ini untuk mengumpulkan wakil dari badan bukan kerajaan.  Seterusnya, satu Konvensyen Rakyat akan diadakan pada awal Januari 2011 untuk merestui hasil perbincangan meja bulat tersebut.

"Tidak, tidak, tidak," beliau menafikan Zaid Ibrahim (gambar kanan) sebagai sebahagian daripada gerakan ini.  Zaid Ibrahim menjadi tumpuan media sejak kebelakangan ini apabila menarik diri dari pemilihan parti dan meletak jawatan partinya dalam PKR.

Ketika dibangkitkan bahawa Haris Ibrahim kelihatan seolah-olah berkempen untuk Zaid Ibrahim dalam pemilihan PKR, beliau mengajukan soalan kepada wartawan sebaliknya, "Kamu tunjukkan mana artikel saya dalam tiga bulan kebelakangan ini berkempen untuk Zaid?  Saya mengkritik proses Pemilihan PKR, ya, saya mengkritik Anwar dan Azmin Ali mempunyai agenda Islam, saya akan terus berbuat demikian."

Beliau menambah, oleh sebab PKR menuntut pilihan raya yang adil dan mendukung konsep ketuanan rakyat, maka PKR perlu menunjukkan teladan.

*Chan Wei See ialah Pemangku Ketua Pengarang MerdekaReview.  Diterjemah dan disunting Lim Hong Siang dari teks asal yang disiarkan pada 17 November 2010.

Who are the real Trojan Horses?

They blame Zaid for jeopardising the future of the opposition coalition. They even chide Malaysia Today for ‘hurting’ Pakatan Rakyat. But these ‘they’ are the same people who are burning the bridges and making it impossible for Zaid to reconsider his position.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I have always picked up pieces by Tay Tian Yan (translated by Dominic Loh) to feature in Malaysia Today. This is the first time I am replying to what they published.

First of all, why are they ‘crediting’ the Third Force to Zaid Ibrahim? Talk of the Third Force emerged long before there was any indication of trouble in PKR or that Zaid would be leaving the party. Suddenly, everyone is saying that Zaid is the leader of the so-called Third Force. And I say so-called because there are hardly any clouds on the horizon and umbrellas are already popping up everywhere.

Is the Third Force just mulling, like the Unity Government was mulled over back in 2008 soon after the last general election, and which came to nought in the end?

There are some people in PKR who are attempting to play mediator to urge the two factions to close ranks. They are trying to persuade Zaid to not leave the party and instead stay on and continue his struggle within PKR and Pakatan Rakyat.

However, the way Zaid is being demonised, it will make it very difficult for the two factions to close ranks. Can Zaid now cool down and reconsider his position? I don’t think so with what is being said about him. No way can the wounds heal. In fact, with the salt being rubbed into Zaid’s wounds it would hurt even more.

They blame Zaid for jeopardising the future of the opposition coalition. They even chide Malaysia Today for ‘hurting’ Pakatan Rakyat. But these ‘they’ are the same people who are burning the bridges and making it impossible for Zaid to reconsider his position.

After what they are saying about Zaid he has no other choice but to move on and not look back in spite of the efforts to hammer out a reconciliation and ‘peace treaty’.

Take this piece by Tay/Dominic. There is a tone of mockery in the way they write. If they had come out with a political analysis, that would be quite acceptable. When there is mockery in your voice then expect Zaid to take a stance of no compromise.

“To know things half way through is tremendously dangerous,” said Tay/Dominic. I can say the same about them. Why are they assuming that Zaid is going to form a new party? From what I know, at this point of time Zaid has no intentions of forming a new party. He also has no intentions of joining another existing party. But if you push him too much and if you continue to mock him then he might just do that out of spite. And I would not blame him if he did. If you mock me I too would retaliate in the worse possible way that I can.

I suppose people like Tay/Dominic who are aligned to one faction in PKR are delighted with the current conflict in PKR. They are delighted that Zaid is leaving. In fact, they may even be aware that there are attempts being made to try to persuade the two factions to close ranks and to persuade Zaid not to leave.

Maybe this is why Zaid is being demonised. Maybe these are the real Trojan Horses after all. They are worried that a peace treaty might be hammered out and peace will again reign in PKR. So they are rubbing Zaid the wrong way to make sure that he does not cool down and reconsider his position.

It takes two hands to clap. We are only looking at what wrongs Zaid has done, which I do admit he has erred. But does this mean only Zaid has erred and the other side is noble and a reincarnation of Mother Teresa?

When I speak up for Zaid I am accused of being in his camp. I also speak up for Anwar, have been for 12 years until today (as far as his sodomy trials are concerned). Does this mean I am also in Anwar’s camp? How I can I be both in Zaid’s and Anwar’s camps when they are at loggerheads?

Zaid and Azmin are at each other’s throats. But I speak up for Zaid and also send Azmin congratulatory messages. Should I instead send Azmin a nasty message with four-letter words to ‘prove’ I am Zaid’s man?

I don’t mock Azmin. I send him nice messages. Why then should we mock Zaid? Is it to make sure that he hates PKR and do as much damage to PKR as he can?

Many try to pretend that they are matured. Sure, and when I go have tea with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad I never hear the end of it. Actually, the present problems facing PKR were triggered by the so-called PKR strong supporters who enjoy mocking others. This is probably the way for small people to imagine themselves as big people.

I can only see that there would be no turning back for Zaid. The effort to mediate in this matter and get Zaid to cool down and reconsider his stand is going to fail. And this is all because of the Trojan Horses masquerading as strong party supporters.

Do they really want the matter to be resolved or do they enjoy seeing this conflict in PKR?

Macam ni mampus lah PKR. Hancur!

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The Third Way? Come on, give me a break!

By TAY TIAN YAN

Translated by DOMINIC LOH

The Third Way? Or a Third Force?

With the recent stint of Zaid Ibrahim, some people have come up with this novel offering.

As if Zaid is able to open up a Third Way outside BN and Pakatan having exited PKR and the opposition pact.

To know things half way through is tremendously dangerous.

Malaysia's political process remains at the stage of stacking up the Second Way. Pakatan's Way is still in its infancy, tortuous and risky.

Before the bipartisan system can even take its form completely, we are dreaming of a tripartisan way. This puts up far ahead of some of the most developed democracies on this planet.

The bipartisan system of Britain has been in existence for well over two centuries with the Labour and Conservative parties taking turns to run the country and not the slightest chance for a Third Force to emerge, until this year when the Liberal Democrats was pampered with a chance to form a coalition government with the Tories.

As for the United States, the Democrats and the Republicans have been sharing the power since the dawn of nationhood. While the Tea Party does have some influences, it is nothing more than a spectre appended to the rightists in the Republican Party, and is still a long way from the so-called the Third Way.

In the context of Malaysia today, Barisan Nasional is the First Way, the north-south expressway that runs all the way from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Johor Bahru, always smooth-running except some peak hours during the festive seasons. Basically it will decide how much toll it wants to collect, and anyone unhappy with it can choose to inch his way down the aged trunk road.

Pakatan Rakyat is the Second Way, an alternative route teeming with potholes, unclear signages and dubious directions.

Running on this road will put your tyres at risk, or yourself for getting lost. Indeed, the road is in urgent need of repair, but that will take a lot of time and effort.

The Pakatan concept needs some integration, and the organisation needs to be expanded to places outside major urban areas. It also needs to be able to lift itself from merely frying up issues and waiting for the BN to commit serious blunders that it can exploit.

This is road upgrading works, and Zaid has been tasked with a mission similar to that of a senior roadwork engineer. Malaysians look to him to upgrade the alternative road into a full-fledged expressway on par with the NSE.

Weirdly, this senior engineer fails to upgrade the Second Way, but instead digs up a few more holes and brings down a few more signages to complicate the project further.

Then he says this is not his way, and he calls it quits.

He wants to set up a new party, a Third Force and Third Way.

The real Third Way is not a child's play. Perhaps I should suggest that he read The Third Way by British politico-sociologist Anthony Giddens.

The book talks about the construction of new mentality surrounding the core values of cooperation and assimilation in a bid to lead the society towards democracy, equality and peaceful co-existence and fulfill the true aspirations of a civic society.

The Third Way should be one of renewed ideology, not a path for disgruntled opportunistic politicians! -- Sin Chew Daily