Pakatan IS breaking up...

Barely a year after the DAP, Pas and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) pact took over as the Pakatan Rakyat administration of four states, their leaders appear to be embroiled in a myriad of disagreements.

The relationship between DAP and Pas is on the rocks over the latter's proposal to introduce Hudud law, with PKR taking the middle ground.

A rift has now emerged between DAP chairman Karpal Singh and Pakatan's de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over Karpal's bid to take legal action against Sultan Azlan Shah over the appointment of Perak's new menteri besar.

Anwar disagreed with the move, saying Pakatan did not want to be seen as going against the royalty.

The DAP veteran, who is Bukit Gelugor member of parliament, also hit out at party strongmen Lim Kit Siang and secretary-general Lim Guan Eng for supporting Anwar's brand of politics.

Former Perak menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin yesterday filed an application in the Kuala Lumpur High Court, seeking a declaration that he was still the rightful menteri besar of Perak and to bar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, who was appointed menteri besar on Feb 6, from discharging his duties.

The prolonged political crisis in Perak and the court action by Nizar and the DAP have diverted public attention from the fact that the whole crisis can be traced to Anwar.

Immediately after the 12th general election last March, Anwar declared that Pakatan would form the Federal Government on Sept 16, because 31 of 140 Barisan Nasional's (BN) members of parliament would be defecting to the opposition pact, enabling it to form the government with a simple majority. Now, leaders like Karpal are questioning Anwar's credibility as Pakatan's de facto leader.

"He (Anwar) is like one who casts a stone and hides his hands," political analyst Prof Dr Ahmad Atory Hussein said in an interview over TV3.

Anwar, who is the Permatang Pauh member of parliament, has sought to downplay Karpal's outburst, saying it was a personal view.

In the meantime, the fall-out from Pakatan's downfall in Perak has triggered speculation that several assemblymen in Kedah and Selangor will also join the BN, with the possibility of Pakatan losing power in both states looming like an overcast sky.

The simultaneous by-elections for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat in Perak and Bukit Selambau state seat in Kedah on April 7 will be a bitter test for Pakatan's survival under Anwar's leadership.

 

-BERNAMA