PROVOKING ARTICLE ‘Kajang Move’: excuses and afterthoughts? – Tan Zhong Yan

‘Kajang Move’: excuses and afterthoughts? – Tan Zhong Yan

JANUARY 29, 2014

I am neither a political analyst nor a politician but as an ordinary citizen, I see the so-called “Kajang move” as a blatant betrayal of the people’s trust for one's own political gains.

I have read various articles and explanations from political analysts and politicians, including the one by Rafizi Ramli which explains the necessity for such a move, but I am still not convinced.

After resigning as Kajang state assemblyman, Lee Chin Cheh stated that his decision to vacate the seat is for the “common good and to strengthen Pakatan’s ability to serve the Selangor people”.

Azmin Ali and Rafizi Ramli then subsequently came out with statements by saying that this is part of their strategy to defend Selangor and to capture Putrajaya.

My question is, if this “Kajang move” is for the common good of Pakatan Rakyat and part of the strategy to capture Putrajaya, then why the other so-called “equal coalition partners” of Pakatan Rakyat, namely DAP and PAS are unaware of this?

Even top leaders like Lim Guan Eng and Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat admitted that they were kept in the dark.

Even though there were several top leaders from both DAP and PAS who were seen at the press conference when Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim announced PKR's decision to field Anwar Ibrahim for the Kajang by-election, that was seen as being “forced” as they were left with no choice but to adopt that decision made solely by PKR or else, it would look very bad and may lead Pakatan Rakyat to an even worse situation.

Further, Rafizi claims that the decision by putting Anwar in Kajang is to defend Selangor from being taken by Umno.

The question is, are all these Selangor Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen and leaders so weak that they can’t even defend Selangor despite ruling Selangor with a comfortable two-thirds majority?

Then how is Pakatan Rakyat going to manage if they had won Kedah, Terengganu and Perak in the last general election? Are they now going to ask Anwar Ibrahim to get some superpower to split himself up and to contest in all the states to “defend” those states from being taken by Umno as well?

This argument also exposed the weakness in Pakatan Rakyat as it shows that only Anwar Ibrahim can lead Pakatan Rakyat and Pakatan Rakyat cannot survive without Anwar.

Let us be realistic, Anwar will not be there forever. What if Anwar gets convicted for the sodomy charge? Will that be the end of Pakatan Rakyat?

Hence for me, all the reasons and explanations given by these politicians are more of excuses and afterthoughts.

I can’t help but to think that this “Kajang move” has a lot to do with the Khalid-Azmin conflict as this came so suddenly in the midst of the conflict.

I cannot help but think that this “Kajang move” is just for some leaders’ own political gains. I don’t know or maybe it is just that I am too pessimistic. And I really hope so. –  January 29, 2014.

* Tan Zhong Yan reads The Malaysian Insider.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

source : mi