From his bastardised moral high ground...
First, the Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM) which he commands with blogger-in-exile-in-UK whom I call a "Liar and a Coward" RPK is still blowing with the wind in Malaysian politics. The civil-rights-lawyer with lots of posturings and pontifications is finding he has enough fulltime occupation as Commentator on PKR's affairs -- financed by the RM10million now at his and RPK's disposal?
Second, now he wants to poke his long nose growing longer-by-the-week like Pinnochio's into Parti Keadilan Rakyat's affairs, still singing the departed Jeffrey Ketingan's high praises as IF HE KNOWS SARAWAKIAN/SABAHAN AFFAIRS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE FROM PENINSULAR MALAYSIA TOMAKE HIS OWN FINDINGS AS THE FINAL AND ABSOLUTE TRUTH. LIKE THE GREAT RPK...
Just ponder on Haris' latest questions he asks of the Opposition Leader, as if as MCLM President, he holds the mandate of a supra-governing body, who adds on his self-anointed role of selecting candidates for PKR/DAP use in GE13 to also calling for an accounting from DS Anwar Ibrahim.
I had written an article earlier, which will reprise later ****, asking of "Haris Ibrahim, Who Art Thou in Malaysian Politics?"
Quoting from People's Parliament:
"In my earlier post where I posed the question if the end days of PKR in Sabah was at hand, I had closed the same with three questions and one message for Anwar.
I repeat the same now below.
First, how the *#@* did you ever dream of taking the federal government last September 16th, apparently counting on the support of Sabah and Sarawak when, it would seem, you haven’t a clue of how to win the hearts and minds of their locals, leaders or otherwise?
Second, is your ‘Ketuanan Rakyat’ any less sloganeering than Najib’s ’1Malaysia’? Is it from the heart or just skin deep?
Third, are you truly the changed man from your UMNO days, or are you now a closet Malay nationalist, because you see it as politically expedient?
The message.
I want to repeat here something I had said in my letter to Anwar on 18th August last year.
“On Black 14, I heard you use the phrase ‘Ketuanan Rakyat’ for the first time.
Do not waver from this.
End race politics.
End the politicisation of Islam.
You must be brave enough to tell the Malays that this country belongs to all the anak-anak Bangsa Malaysia, to remind the Malays again and again that UMNO’s ketuanan Melayu is unIslamic and has been their evil tool to enrich themselves and divide this nation.
Do this, and be assured of the strongest support from the majority of anak-anak Bangsa Malaysia who, by far and large, are decent people.
…A final reminder.
The rakyat today are not like that of 16 years ago.
We understand national issues better, we are better informed, and we have a greater sense of commitment to the ideals of justice and equality.
And we have a newly found self-belief to pursue these ideals and to pursue change.
Understand and remember that we are no longer afraid.
We fully understand today that governance of this nation was intended to be in the hands of the people, and that when you and your party leaders offer to govern, it is with a view to serve us.
Therefore, understand and remember that it is we, the rakyat, who govern through those who have taken oath to serve us.
It is only by abiding by that oath that you might honourably be called a leader of men.
Any less and you would have proven yourself to be no better than those whom you now endeavour to displace”. (ends quote from PP)
DESIDERATA asks of Haris: WHO GAVE YOU THIS DEMI-GOD MANDATE TO KEEP ON DICTATING TO PKR AND ITS LEADERS? GO JOIN YOUR IDOL ZAID IBRAHIM'S KITA IF YOU WANT TO PLAY POLITICS!
****
Saturday, November 20, 2010
The Third Force -- Or Is It The Third Farce?
Self-appointed leader of the Third Force in Malaysian politics, civil rights lawyer Haris Ibrahim, has taken on the mantle of shortlisting candidates to stand under the banners of PR components, Part Keadilan PKR Rakyat (PKR), and Democratic Action Party (DAP). I don't believe either of the two PR party leaders have sanctioned Haris' initiative, for I can't imagine two key components in an alternative-government-in-waiting would surrender or privatise this important role.
In another article I had indeed asked of Haris,who also leads the online NGO People's Parliament, "Who art thou in politcs?", chiefly wondering why he was so "involved" in PKR inner politics when he was NOT even a card-carrying member, and that his writings were/are mainly in favour of two then appointed "top" PKR leaders who only recently abandoned the BN banner to join PKR.
In the Star print edition of Nov 17, 2010, a news report headlined
"Azmin’s faction blamed for pushing Zaid to a tight spot", it was reported that:
"Meanwhile, Barisan Rakyat coordinator Haris Ibrahim denied that it was a “third force” or that it was backed by Zaid.
The blogger, who said the group aimed to supply Pakatan Rakyat with MPs that would not abandon it after securing enough seats to form the Federal Government, said it hoped to contest 30 parliamentary seats in the next general election.
“So far, we have 16 potential candidates. We will contest using PKR and DAP banners but in Parliament, we will serve as independents.
“We do not want to form a new party as we want to do away with politics of patronage where division chiefs expect to be nominated.” (news report excerpt ends here)
A PKR strategist told this writer that an outsider like Haris who is not even a party member is being too presumptious to think PKR would surrender this role of selecting candidates to outsiders.
"Why would PKR or DAP want to pass on to a third party to select candidates to contest under our banner?
"And who is to tell that these socalled men/women of integrity picked by Haris will permanently follow his mandate based on his own set of principles and ethics?"
Indeed, I think Haris, drunk on commenters' cheering squad on his blog, has arrogated for himself a status justified by the cheering squad -- that status befitting a demi-god? On what criteria has Haris followed to shortlist these 16 candidates for the next general elections (GE13)?
A fellow blogger when asked about Haris' initiative, said as far as he knew, Haris was definitely very close to Zaid. "And this Third Force could turn out to be a Third Farce," he merrily added.
For people new to bloggers' world, Haris was a civil rights lawyer who shot to prominence in the high profile case of defending two bloggers, Jeff Ooi,now a DAP MP, and Ahirudin Attan aka Rockybru, now a Datuk, in a defamation suit by the NSTP and several top executives. In an olde post Haris went public in expressing differences of opinion with Rockybru on some issues, and I chipped in as a commenter that it was not professional for a lawyer, still acting as counsel for his client, to go public with this open show of differences.
I recently checked with Rockybru, who I worked pretty well in organising the annual Bloggers Universe Malaysia (BUM) events for four outings -- although we hail from different political philosopical backgrounds -- told me recently that in the NSTP suit case, he and Haris had indeed "parted ways".
I give Haris benefit of doubt that he might have good intentions, but to get involved so "intensely" in PKR activities while not willing to join up as a member, it raises many reservations in my mind. Is he acting on behalf of key players like Zaid and Jeffrey Kitingan?
In fact, as I had observed in an earlier article, Haris and some socalled Barisan Rakyat bloggers got pretty involved in PKR party elections, having concurrently started a campaign named "BLOGGERS FOR NURUL" just as deputy presidential candidate Zaid Ibrahim had advised the MP for Lembah Pantai Nurul Izzah Anwar to accept the nomination for deputy president candidacy (which Zaid had confirmed contesting, but would make way for Nurul. What I have noted is that Haris has consistently "supported" Zaid's and Sabah leader Jeffrey's stands, in the duo's politicking in PKR. If either Zaid or Jeffrey have been feeding PKR "insider information" to an outsider like Haris, then it reveals much of their leadership as far as integrity is concerned.
As Haris' initiative is officially reported by the MSM, I have sighted an article written about this socalled Third Force previously on his blog, but Nov 17's Star report is the first time where DAP and PKR are dragged into the picture.
Third Force would be new impediment for change at Putrajaya
I have written that a Third Force is premature on the Malaysian political landscape when even the Pakatan Rakyat comprising PKR, DAP and PAS -- the latter two having proven records of some 50years of struggle to boast of, with PKR only a 12-year teenage growing up period -- for the first time have given Malaysians the hope of a two-party system, hence the most viable coalition to replace the BN government.
At this junction, do we need a third force of "Spoilers" who would likely make the next GE13 see more three- or more-cornered fights, mainly to the benefit of the incumbent BN regime?
Who's to guarantee that some or all of this core group of some 20 "persons of integrity" when elected into Parliament would not sell their souls in a "hung Parliament scenario? Ask the electorate if they had felt cheated when three PR assemblymen in Perak caused the downfall of the PR government when they deserted PKR and DAP and "became independents". Independents, my foot! It's the almighy dollar/ringgit you frogs are looking at, no? RM4million for Hee Yet Foong, yes?
The next question arising is: Haris, where are the funds coming from to finance the election campaign for GE13 for these candidates under your Third Force?
Zaid who Haris adores as seen from his blogposts had yesterday stated he might set up a new political party once his resignation from PKR takes effect coming December 16.
The Case of froggie Wee Choo Keong
Let's digress a bit here and examine PKR banner-elected MP for Wangsa Maju Wee Choo Keong. In gist, he was once a DAP elected MP but fell out with party leaders, He and some cronies then set up the Malaysian Democratic Party (MDP). He and several others stood as candidates under the MDP banner in two general elections, and I believe all contestants lost their deposits.
Just before the March 2008 GE We managed to squeeze himself a seat, contesting under PKR banner BUT REMAINING AN MDP MEMBER, and the rest is history.The man -- ah, another lawyer! -- then jumped ship and is now an Independent-friendly-to-BN. Independent, my foot! Another case of staring at the almighty dollar/ringgit sign!
Maybe Zaid can team up with Wee -- their common enemey now is PKR, is it not? -- and can take part in GE13 under MDP? I bet it would turn out to be another farce. Oops, another real force in Malaysian politics. Zaid may even win enough support from BN-friendly MPs to be elected Opposition Leader, and Wee the Whip?
Though another writer claims on Zaid's behalf that it's presumptious of certain writers to link any of Zaid's moves to finally connect with Haris' latest initiative, it is a possibility that it finally would transpire that way. Zaid might not get enough support to register his new party, these two new forces would converge into one? So to contest in GE13, Zaid becomes another "man of integrity" by Haris' definition to add onto to his short list?
Am I going to be surprised? That's a RM64million question I may get to answer six months from now should PM Najib Tun Razak receive inspiration to call for an early GE13, one I believe could lead Malaysia down that slippery slope into another failed state. And a Third Force would not in any way help the PR's road to Putrajaya to prevent Malaysia becoming another Zimbabwe.
posted by desiderata
DESIDERATA's CURRENT THINKING ALLOWED:
Some months ago, I wrote: "I give Haris benefit of doubt that he might have good intentions, but to get involved so "intensely" in PKR activities while not willing to join up as a member, it raises many reservations in my mind. Is he acting on behalf of key players like Zaid and Jeffrey Kitingan?"
BUT TODAY, I DON'T GIVE ANY MORE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT TO HARIS.I believe Haris and his gang have sold out the Rakyat's wish to see Paktan Rakyat's takeover from the Barisan Nasional the federal government seat at Putrajaya. Malaysia after 54 years of independence is finally seeing the BIRTH OF A COALITION -- consisting of PKR, DAP and PAS, may expand to include others -- STRONG AND VIABLE TO GIVE THE MALAYSIAN ELECTORATE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE OPTION TO BN IN A TWO-COALITION SYSTEM THAT WE LONG FOR. MCLM et al will only be "SPOILERS" to our dreams and aspirations for a two-coalition system.
I URGE FELLOW MALAYSIAN NOT TO ALLOW MCLM or Hindraf clones or any third force from Sabah led by Jeffrey Kitingan to DERAIL OUR HOPES FOR A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT IN PUTRAJAYA.
My counter message to Haris': "DEAR ESTEEMED READERS, Stay focused. Stay the course with PR on their March toPutrajaya cometh GE13!" -- YL, Desi
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