keadilan
in
deep shit

Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Nasional is in deep shit. Party leaders with diverse backgrounds are trying their best to consolidate position and power.

Followers of the party, mostly self-proclaimed streetfighters and internet webmasters, are attacking some leaders in the party.

The party's first-ever assembly showed it all. Claiming to have millions of supporters, only 300 turned up for the meet. But still there is hope, somewhere, somehow.

Keadilan could be seen as a Malay party, like Dr Mahathir Mohamad's United Malays National Organisation (Umno). It could also be described as a centre-right democratic party.

But in all its idealism, Keadilan is just full of young and misguided Malays. And old farts too, just like Umno, MCA, MIC, PAS, DAP, PRM, etc, etc.

No one knows what they want. Except to free Anwar. Their one and only idol is their only hope. So much about hero-worshipping.

But then criticising Keadilan is no more fun nowadays. The party is in bad shape. Too many captains on the ship. But then what else is new.

Maybe Keadilan needs to reinvent itself. First by distancing itself from the fanatical Islamist party PAS (Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party). Imagine Keadilan led by Anwar’s wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail being treated as a second class leader whenever she attends PAS programmes, simply because she is a woman.

She will be seated behind male leaders. In some ceremonies, Dr Wan Azizah is put not only behind PAS President Datuk Fadzil Nor but also her own Keadilan leaders who happen to be males of the species.

No one knows why Keadilan, as Anwar has described the party as a multi-ethnic liberal democratic organisation, would allow fundamentalist PAS to treat their leader like a dog. Yes, most Muslims are afraid to touch dogs.

Secondly, Keadilan has to stop dreaming about becoming an alternative to Umno. Most of its members are still behaving like Umno members. Playing racial and religious politics.

In the era of Islamic resurgence, all Malay-based parties are trying to be as Islamic as possible. But Keadilan does not have to jump on the bandwagon.

It must go beyond childish politics. It is a democratic party. Democracy puts people above everything. PAS is cheating Malaysians, particularly Malays, that political power derives from God.

When God is absent on earth, His representatives are good enough substitute. So Fadzil Nor, his deputy Hadi Awang and the party feel-good guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat decide what is best for Muslims in Malaysia.

To criticise them is to insult God. So PAS is divine. So PAS has been using Keadilan and other opposition parties.

But Malaysians are equally to be blame. Race and religion are two sensitive subjects. These two subjects are under the control of both PAS and ruling Umno.

If Malaysians can break free from the taboo, they can finally taste the beauty of freedom and democracy. Women will be free. Men will be free. Free from dogma which has been treating them like dogs (with apology to all canines in the world).

So Keadilan should think again about their struggle. To quote one former minister in the government who had joined the now-defunct Semangat 46 (Spirit of 46) and later rejoined Umno and be made minister again: "I joined 46 because it was similar to Umno. Now that 46 are no longer there, I rejoined Umno. I am sorry if I have disappointed those who have supported me but I am always an Umno man."

Keadilan is an Umno-like party. There will be no agenda for change. Unless Anwar sends a message from his prison cell that he is now a communist or a fascist, or even a Buddhist, bless them.

At the moment, Keadilan will die a slow death. Their streetfighters are too stupid to know the difference between democracy and religious fundamentalism.

Just to remind them, the Iranian revolution of 1979 was made possible by millions of workers guided by trade unions, socialists, communists and liberal democrats. It was hijacked by Khomeini and gang because the other non-religious leaders were squabbling among themselves.

This is the same way PAS thinks it is going to take over Malaysia and turn it into a barbaric state of sex-crazed mullahs. If Dr Wan Azizah and women of Malaysia can stand united (more than 50% of the country’s population), they themselves can crush religious fundamentalism.

As much as we don’t want a Christian or a Hindu state in Malaysia, there is no reason for us to allow one religion, especially the one that cannot stand the sight of women, to rule the people.

Keadilan, stop pretending. Be a real alternative. Speak up against special rights for Malays, special privileges for Islam and fight against undemocratic practices committed under the name of race and religion.

If not, leave the real fight to those who believe that all human beings are equal. So far PAS, Keadilan and PRM (People’s Party) have never touched on equality. DAP (Democratic Action Party) has been sleeping for the past few years.If these parties are so afraid of equality, what is the point of talking about the alternative front. There nothing alternative about it.

Keadilan, please wake up. It’s time to go now.