Monday September 8, 2008

The cat and mouse game continues

ANALYSIS
By SUHAINI AZNAM

The political roller coaster sweeping Malaysians since the March 8 general election has shown no signs of abating. On the converse, it is reaching a crescendo, with Sept 16 looming next week.

SIX months have passed since Malaysia took a gargantuan leap towards a two-party system. It has been a tumultuous period since voters showed their disappointment with the ruling party of the past half-century – the, up to now, invincible Barisan Nasional.

After four west coast states went to Pakatan Rakyat, the stunned PKR, DAP and PAS, having suddenly found themselves formalised as unlikely partners, jostled for state government positions and the contentious posts of mentri besar. Parliamentary debate rose to fever-pitch and walkouts became the order of the day.

On Aug 26, the Permatang Pauh by-election saw Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emerge as Opposition Leader, bringing him that much closer to forming his new government by Sept 16.

The excitement has not stopped. The past couple of days have seen a spin of rumours via SMS that seven Barisan parties would defect by Sept 16.

The intensity of speculation was such that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself, who had long refused to entertain rumours, had to unequivocally deny that crossovers would take place.

The rumours were hotly denied, especially in Sabah, where politicians were understandably insulted that everyone expected them to make the first jump.

In the peninsula, too, the Gerakan and the People's Progressive Party said no such thing was in the offing.

In Sarawak, the clutch of Bidayuh MPs who in March were rumbling about quitting the Barisan, were irritated by these questions.

All Sarawak Barisan MPs have pledged their loyalty to Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Ironically, some politicians in both Sabah and Sarawak expect Umno MPs from the peninsula to lead the crossover, arguing that only Malays could make such a move without it being misconstrued as traitorous. So far, not a single Umno MP has shown his hand.

So what is Anwar's game?

Keeping everyone guessing is obviously part of it. And keeping up the momentum of expectations among supporters and anyone else fed up with Barisan's slowness to respond.

Anwar also hopes to trigger off the bandwagon effect, knowing that no serious MP would want to be left behind.

It was exactly for this reason the Sabah Progressive Party had jumped the gun by several months when its president Datuk Yong Teck Lee announced its readiness to back a vote of no-confidence against Abdullah.

Meanwhile, Anwar ensures that he keeps himself in the news. Through it all, Anwar is successfully proving how easily he can manipulate Barisan leaders, specifically those from Umno.

But those who expect Anwar to be the harbinger of change forget that he grew up politically in Barisan.

Barisan is playing right into Anwar's psy-war game. Its strenuous denials to reporters' proddings have given Anwar credibility.

That Barisan backbenchers going abroad on an agricultural field trip gives ammunition to Anwar if he does not manage to make good on his promise.

Anwar realises that his most effective reach is the alternative media, so it was there last week that his campaigners plugged his timeline to the prime minister's office.

The immediacy of the SMS, meanwhile, made it the most efficient disseminator of rumours.

Anwar's willingness to create instability erodes his leadership qualities. For him, it is as if the means justifies his ultimate goal. Or, as a non-politician reasoned simply: “a person who is so desperate to become prime minister will not make a good one”.

Expecting to form a government by enticing MPs to jump is “evil”, said Parti Bersatu Sabah deputy president Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili.

Calling it “shameful and unethical,” he condemned such dirty politics and the notion that elected representatives “could be bought and sold for a pot of political porridge”.

For him, as for Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, the people's mandate had to be respected.

Integrity, after all, requires no rules.