Work on it, BA

I was so irritated to watch the television on Monday night and Tuesday morning when the results were being announced. By 1.15am, I was too annoyed to continue watching as the results were a foregone conclusion. I was also so depressed, angry and frustrated with my fellow Malaysians who voted on Monday, the other registered voters who chose not to exercise their right and all those who spoilt their precious votes either knowingly or otherwise.

Well, that was 24 hours ago. Now I have accepted the reality, not that I have a choice. This is what democracy is all about. We have to accept the voice of the majority, no matter how unfair this "voicing of the majority" is carried out.

I sincerely hope that Barisan Alternatif would continue to exist and cement the cooperation that they had built only recently. As the "marriage" is new, the people were not fully convinced of its longevity. So now BA has five years or so to work on it. I wish to suggest a few points or areas where it needs to iron out.

1. PAS needs to realise that it needs the support of the non-Muslims in order for it to be an acceptable leader to all Malaysians. During the election campaign, I read that Nik Aziz Nik Mat mentioned that there was no mention of the word "negara Islam" in the charter of PAS. It only has "mewujudkan masyarakat atau suasana Islam" or something to that effect. This needs to be clarified and if it is true, this needs to be explained to especially the non-Muslims.

2. Please form a shadow cabinet now. This would allow the people to gauge your capabilities. It would also prepare the people on what to expect once you are in power. I think that a lot of Chinese and Indians voters didn't want to gamble away five years, more so now when we are in very trying times. This point was used to the maximum by the BN. It will be used over and over again for all the elections to come, until and unless BA can prove to them that it is as capable or even more capable than BN.

3. Only a two-party system would work. Please do not dismantle BA. There is no other way for the four member parties. Please build more solid common grounds and reduce internal differences. Fourteen parties can do that in BN but in BA's case, there are only four parties. May be BA's situation is not the same as with the 14 in BN. Well, as I said earlier, do not find excuses as member parties have no choice other than working together.

4. BA needs to forge ties with the other parties in Sabah and Sarawak. Only then can it be truly a national government.

However I have this nagging feeling that one day Keadilan would dissolve and its members return to Umno's fold just like what happened to Parti Melayu Semangat 46. I feel so nauseated when I see some former S46 members singing the praises of BN and its leaders now, when it was with the same tongue that they used to run them down.

Let us imagine this likely scenario. Anwar Ibrahim is released and acquitted of all the charges. This is likely as anything is possible in the world of politics. If it happens, would the members of Keadilan change their tune and start singing praises of BN?

What will happen when Mahathir Mohamad is no longer the PM? Will Keadilan's fight for "Justice for All" be forgotten? Will the plight of the minorities be abandoned? Will the hopes of Malaysians to see a fairer government be dashed? Or do we have to wait for another Anwar Ibrahim -- a sacrificial lamb to raise our hopes again? I hope time will prove that I am just being paranoid.

I wish to take my hats off to all the loyal members of PAS, DAP and PRM for sticking with their party all these years. They have not sold off their beliefs and they have not sold off their souls so easily. Action truly speaks louder than words. Malaysia is blessed to have people of strong conviction and character like them.

Hoddu
Sungai Buloh
(from malaysiakini.com)