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Politics 101: Turning Bad PKR Against Good PKR

PKR Zulkifli Noordin

(The religion fanatic MP Zulkifli Noordin from PKR party in the thick of the action when Bar Council held an interfaith discussion in 2008. Image source: http://just-mythots.blogspot.com)

A rather unbelievable Q&A from PKR’s Zulkifli Noordin – the MP for Kulim Bandar Bharu.

So they needed a candidate and (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim called me up, asking me to contest.

I was not even a party member then and we expected to lose. But Anwar gave me money and I went there campaigning, just days before the nomination day.

But I won with a 8,000-strong majority.

So here we have an unwilling politician who claimed was thrust-ed into the limelight without choice and thus a sack now from the political party, PKR would mean that things will be back to the status quo

But sometimes there are events which are not within our control that supersede the programmes, like the issue of the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims.

It is beyond our expectations and had forced us to take a stand. And that stand has caused political repercussions.

It is wrong for Zulkifli to generalise that ALL non-Muslims are “happy” to be using the word ‘Allah’ and thus justifies Zulkifli to turn it into a ‘Muslim vs Non-Muslim’ stand.

Mind you that not all non-Muslims out there want to use the word ‘Allah’ as we recognise that it is used in Islam and not in our religion.  The majority of them will not use it even if it is forced on them.

Zulkifli therefore should have taken ‘his’ fight against the people who have been fighting to use the word ‘Allah’ – a publication that has barely 14,000 copies in circulation.

As to whether the Herald has the right to use the word ‘Allah’ or not, this has been well deliberated by both parties (the Herald and the Government) and decided in the court of law.

If so, why can’t Zulkifli wait for the Government’s appeal on the matter?

Isn’t the very act of defying the court’s decision itself is contempt of court or at the very least, undermining the court’s decisions?

Their agenda is revolution. In the sense they are changing the very fundamental pillars of the society, like making Islam and other religions equal.

The special privileges of the Malays (which are) enshrined in the Federal Constitution, I think they will take it off.

Zulkifli is not only jumping the gun with his wild (and dangerous) assumptions but he is also telling something that will not happen – the disposition of Islam as the main religion in the country and removal of special privileges of the Malays (which will only happen if the Malays themselves decides it so to happen).

Zulkifli is using the court’s decision to allow the use of the word ‘Allah’ by a small minority in this country as a definite attack on Islam and Malay rights.

If that is not sedition, then I do not know what else it can be.

The Herald, to be fair, had never contested the rightful place of Islam and Malay rights in this country, then why does the misguided Zulkifli claim it to be otherwise. Can Zulkifli get his facts rights before opening his mouth in public?

I am against it because that (the Constitution) is the pillar of the country.

If Zulkifli truly believes in the Constitution, he will recognise that there is a rule of law in this country and he has to go through the right channels.

He can have his say on what he thinks on the issue of the ‘Allah’ but he has no right whatsoever to turn the simple, straightforward issue into something that is not, namely the removal of special privileges of the Malays and the position of Islam.

It is another way of turning Malaysia into a Chinese country.

It is a chauvinistic approach and that is what they are doing in Penang anyway.

Silently and quietly, they are turning it into another Hong Kong.

Zulkifli may not agree with what DAP is doing but for the sake of keeping the Pakatan Rakyat together, he should either keep his mouth and his extreme views since the other members in PKR & PAS are keeping quiet too or he should just quit showing that he will not stand around and keep up with the DAP.

By the way, on Middle Malaysia – since he is not from DAP and was in no way involved in the formulation of the “middle Malaysia” concept, perhaps he should read this first. Why he is too worried about it?

Exactly. I think there are certain elements in Pas who are too engrossed with political achievements that they overlook their fundamental struggle of Islam.

PAS over the years is coming to the limelight in a rather interesting way – they are fighting the case for the way of life via Islamic ways but at the same time, are not too extreme to understand that there are many non-Muslims living in this beautiful country and not all of them agree to live in a strict Islamic lifestyle.

They also do have their rights enshrined in the Constitutions and this is something PAS have long recognised.

The slogan “PAS untuk semua’ (PAS for all) may not be hearsay or wasteful as the slogans such as ‘don’t work for me but work with me’ but at this point, it is something more fluid and meaningful in recent years. PAS has finally matured.

Unless they come back to their fundamental struggle, I think Pas will be fading out very soon.

Coming from a guy who is too extremist in his views, it will be good if PAS does not take heed of this misguided suggestion. PAS politicians such as MP Khalid Samad is really showing how moderate views work the best for all Malaysians

But from the macro point of view, for the good of the country, I think it is time for all political parties in Pakatan and Barisan Nasional to sit down and talk.

We cannot afford all the bickering during these times of serious economic, security and political crises.

I agree with MP Khalid Samad on this but what about BN?

It looks like BN have not really accepted their defects in the last general election. Why then, the ongoing covert operations to wrestle back the state of Selangor? They already did the same in Perak and turn the whole state into chaos.

If BN accepts their defect without any hard feelings and in respect of the people’s decision, I truly believe that the Government can get down to doing real work.

If BN can do that, I am pretty sure the people in PR can do the same.

That is why at this stage, it is better for PAS, PKR and Umno to sit together because we are the main players, the rest are just fringe parties.

We must sit down and chart a new dimension for Malaysia, we can make a change and we should, before it is too late.

In other words, are we talking about the Malay unity and screw the rest policy? When will any politicians come to an understanding that at first for things to move forward, Malaysia itself must be united?

Charting a new dimension for Malaysia will not work if the minorities are maintained as minorities and understanding among all Malaysians are not well fostered.

Just talks with 2- 3 “main players” won’t do.

But the breaking point was when he said the Non-Muslims Enactment in Selangor was outdated and the Malays were not wise enough then.

That is too much.

It is insulting.

I guess there is always 2 sides to the story – read MP Khalid Samad’s take on this

So if it is fated that I have to leave Pakatan, I have no regrets at all. I have never dreamt of becoming Yang Berhormat, MP or even a minister.

I believe the ‘rezeki’ is with Allah and I’ll survive anyway. But if they decide it is time for me to go, I’ll go.

But it does not mean I will quit as politician or MP. Let the people decide at the next general election.

Another potential MP leaping into the BN’s stable?

It does look like it, it sounds like it but will it be so in reality?

If Zulkifli believes that being in PKR is holding him back from being more vocal and determined, then it will be best if he resigns from PKR. I am sure that other in PKR than perhaps Anwar, no one is holding him back.

Quite a number of PKR MPs and assemblymen are not the type to say things openly, but when they make a decision, you will be surprised.

PKR since the last general election has been known to have trouble managing its politicians as compared to PAS & DAP.

2 PKR frogs were all that was needed to throw the state of Perak into chaos. Perhaps this is just what Anwar needed in order to do a massive house cleaning in PKR and get fresh blood into PKR and ultimately PR before the next general election.

Read Also

Bar Council Forum: The Aftermath

Strange Case of Zulkifli Noordin

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