Political marriage ended in Kedah

A party that can help all others but itself. That is how the epitaph for DAP is being written. The only claim to victory it can make in the 2008 general election has meant clinging to the jubah of Pas in Kedah.

And that hold is how slipping as Pas goes its own way in reinforcing its hold on the state administration and denying DAP any share.

The intransigent character of Pas made it plainly obvious even well before the general election - that there is only one way to work together with it - by capitulating to it. DAP leaders, believing their own rhetoric, are now learning it the hard way.

These events point up the fact that DAP is truly a party in the wilderness, directionless and with no reason to continue. The party is just grasping at straws to keep its nose above water.

So much so that it's not out of turn at all to begin considering an epitaph for the party. What it will leave in its wake is a valuable lesson to politicians and political parties that opposition for the sake of opposition, and existing just to contest elections.

A Kedah politician equates the rift between Pas and DAP and the political marriage has truly ended and the two parties are now doing their very best to inflict as much damage as possible to each other's reputation before the people. When the two parties joined forces, their supporters acclaimed the moment as a marriage made in heaven.

But, after almost fifteen month of "married" life, the relations of the two parties turned hellish with each accusing the other of being an unfaithful partner. At a press conference in Alor Setar yesterday evening, Kedah DAP chief Thomas Su announced that the party was pulling out its sole representative from the PAS-led Kedah state government.

DAP, despite being a key member in the Pakatan Rakyat pact, was not consulted nor given the opportunity to raise its views on many of the policies and decisions made by the Pas State Government. So, there was no point for DAP to remain in the Kedah Pakatan Rakyat government.

And, at the moment, Pas believes it can still hold onto the Government as it still commands a favourable majority. Pas has 16 assemblymen while Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has five and DAP (one). The Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition currently holds 14 seats in the 36-seat state assembly.

Pas is a party which uses every opportunity it has in the State Government for the benefit and interests of its supporters. Despite the problems and dissatisfaction over the running of the State Government by Pas, DAP and PKR did not make a fuss over it.

REMINDER:

Any constructive criticism and comment that would contribute to fair, frank and informed discussion on this posting to help achieve our national objective will be most appreciated. We need to have more open exchange of ideas on this sensitive but important subject in the context of the national vision and security.