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‘People’s pact’ forged in Malaysia

SINGAPORE: A ‘People’s Pact,’ guaranteeing “the rights” of all Malaysians including the ethnic Indian minority that feels “marginalised,” has been fashioned by three opposition parties, under the leadership of the former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim.

These parties, now striving to unseat Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who recently won re-election with a vastly reduced parliamentary majority, are Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), the Democratic Action Party (DAP), and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS).

Announcing the alliance styled ‘Pakatan Rakyat’ (‘People’s Pact’), leaders of these parties pledged to “uphold the rights and interests of all Malaysians, regardless of religion or race, as [originally] enshrined in the Constitution.” Mr. Anwar and new Leader of the Opposition Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, both from the PKR, Lim Kit Siang of the DAP, and Abdul Hadi Awang of the PAS said in a statement, issued in Kuala Lumpur, that the accord was reached, “pending confirmation” by their parties.

In 1999, the same parties had formed an electoral pact, which later unravelled as the PAS set for itself an agenda of transforming multi-ethnic Malaysia into an Islamic state. On this occasion, though, the PAS dropped this religious agenda from its manifesto for the recent general election.

Malaysia consists of the Malay-Muslim majority and two prominent minority groups — ethnic Chinese professing different faiths, and the mainly-Hindu people of Indian origin. And, the non-political Hindu Rights Action Force, in the forefront of the campaigns by ethnic Indians, supported these opposition parties in the recent polls.

Within Mr. Abdullah’s United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the main constituent of the long-governing coalition, his one-time mentor and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday led a protest campaign. At a largely attended meeting of UMNO activists, Dr. Mahathir asked the people to “speak out” against Mr. Abdullah and get a “government they deserve.” The meeting called for his “graceful exit” and follow-up “reforms” in the party.

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