The stunning news that the PKR adviser is contesting a
forced by-election in Kajang is still reverberating through the state of
Selangor. UNCOMFORTABLE. That is the best word to describe the body
language of most of the political top brass at the packed press conference to
announce that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be contesting the Kajang
by-election.
Anwar seemed like he was in a hurry to get it over with. It
was very awkward for him because what he had denied a day earlier was now
unfolding before everyone’s eyes. The task of announcing Anwar as the by-election candidate
fell to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. Khalid was his usual
flustered self and his wavy hair looked like he had been standing in front of a
fan.
When reporters asked whether he would be stepping down as
Mentri Besar, he flashed a brave smile, paused, and said that was an
“unrealistic question.” None of the reporters could actually tell what that meant
but there was little doubt that this was the beginning of the end for the
corporate man-turned-politician. At best, poor Khalid looked like a lame duck
Mentri Besar.
At worst, it was like a guillotine was inching towards him. It was clear that the priority of PKR leaders was to first
clear the hurdle of winning the by-election. Then they will address the question of Anwar becoming the
next Mentri Besar. No one has any doubts by now that he is zooming in on the
post. He is certainly not contesting a by-election for the fun of
being a state backbencher or executive councillor.
Moreover, as the Selangor economic adviser, he has taken the
oath before the Mentri Besar which entitles him to attend state executive
council meetings. Pakatan Rakyat politicians, especially those from Selangor,
are still in shock over the dramatic turn of events. The decision for Anwar to take over the reins in Selangor
was made at such a high and exclusive level that most of them were kept in the
dark and only learnt about it in the media.
PKR politics, said a senior Selangor politician, is not very
different from Umno politics, with lots of rivalry, big ambitions and
back-stabbing. The question being asked is why is Anwar taking such a big
gamble Pakatan politicians cannot figure out why he would want to
be Mentri Besar when he is supposed to be their candidate for Prime Minister.
Has he downsized his aspirations from Prime Minister to
Mentri Besar? Has he given up hope of Pakatan getting to Putrajaya? Or is he planning to leverage on the Mentri Besar post to
stay relevant and visible until the next general election?
The Selangor Mentri Besar post is a high-profile job,
Selangor is the richest state in Malaysia with a sophisticated electorate.If he succeeds he can convince Malaysians that he is indeed
Prime Minister material.
Some even imagine he is doing this for his daughter and
party vice-president Nurul Izzah, to divert attention from her on-off divorce
and all the gossip surrounding the reason for her marital woes.
The reasons behind Anwar’s action are one thing. The more
important concern among the Pakatan leadership is public opinion about the
by-election.The by-election move is coming barely nine months after the
general election.
Moreover, this is the second forced by-election for him.
In 2008, his wife and party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan
Azizah Wan Ismail resigned as Permatang Pauh MP a few months after the 2008
general election to enable him to rejoin Parliament.
There has been quite a lot of disgruntled and critical
chatter especially in cyberspace.The general opinion was that the by-election was unnecessary
and a waste of taxpayers’ money. Moreover, it makes Pakatan, which is fond of lecturing the
Barisan Nasional government on its spending habits, look contradictory and
hypocritical.
Anwar risks being seen as taking the rakyat’s support for
granted.To date, no Pakatan leader has been able to explain the need
for or justify the by-election.If Khalid needs to be replaced, there are other assemblymen
who can step in.
Two ready-made possibilities are Azmin Ali, who is PKR
deputy president and Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman, and Iskandar Samad of PAS,
who is a state executive councillor.PAS in particular is unhappy about the way the by-election
decision was rushed through without a proper discussion.
The young Turks in PAS feel the party should have a shot at
the top job because it won more seats than PKR in the general election.They will have trouble explaining things to their grassroots
and there is even talk of a silent boycott when the campaign starts.
Azmin’s supporters are confused and upset.They feel that their man has been played out again and
yesterday afternoon, Azmin chaired an emergency Selangor PKR meeting to explain
what had happened.
The PKR No. 2 is said to be disappointed. He has been
patient and loyal but he keeps missing the boat. The Malays have a phrase for
it – tiada rezeki (not meant to be).
When waylaid by the media yesterday, Azmin trotted out the
official line: The by-election has been in the planning for sometime, Anwar’s
candidature is aimed at strengthening the party and talk of a new Mentri Besar
is speculative.
It is hard to see how long PKR and its partners can maintain
that line of argument.Are the people of Kajang going to be persuaded that they are
voting again because they need to strengthen the party? It is a most unconvincing argument and PKR will have to do
better than that if it wants voters to come out for Anwar.
