ROS action a moral boost for Pakatan
As nominations for the 13GE closed we are told that this
election sees the largest number of multi-corner fights with 269 independent
candidates vying for seats in parliament and the various state assemblies.
Despite this large number of independent candidates, judging from the strong
sentiments on the ground, this 13GE is mainly a battle between BN and PR as
many believe that the independent candidates may make little difference to the
final outcome except in a some seats especially in East Malaysia.
On the eve of nomination day the PR was given a scare by the
action of the Registrar of Societies(ROS) to suspend the Central Working Committee
of the DAP, thereby denying the use of the Rocket symbol by its candidates.
This led the DAP with the support of its other partners PKR and PAS to decide
on the use of the symbols of PAS and PKR. By their quick action, an issue that
threatened them finally gave the much needed moral boost to the DAP and its partners
in PR. The massive crowd of supporters who turned up at the Pakatan ceramah
that night in Penang and subsequently in Johor bears testimony to that moral
booster by the ROS.
The ill-timed action of ROS on the eve of nomination day was
unwise and irresponsible and amount to a disrespect for a very important event
in the country, a general election, and the free participation of the people in
such a democratic process. Although there are many postulates for that untimely
and misguided action of the ROS against the DAP, we leave it to the conscience
of the ROS to decide whether his action was right and unjustified.
Nevertheless the action of the ROS brought greater unity
among the components parties of the PR, especially DAP and PAS. It was
unthinkable before that these two ideologically polarized parties could agree
to adopt the Moon as the symbol by the DAP. It was a heart-warming sight
watching young Chinese carrying the Moon flags and Malays carrying the Rocket
flags, which I feel is itself a great achieving by PR.
The enemies of PR may write off such actions as just
superficial show of unity but it must be remembered it is a definite sign of a
deepening understanding that is unprecedented, not just between the DAP and PAS
but between the Malays and non-Malays in general. It is a definite sign that
the people of all races are rising to demand the rights. It is a definite sign
that race politics of the past will soon be over.
It was most encouraging to know that the nominations process
went on peacefully without any untoward incidents, which go to show the
professional manner the police and election officers conducted themselves in
discharging their duties. The candidates, their supporters and their respective
parties must also be commended for the well-behaved and orderly manner in which
they conducted themselves. This is a proof of the high level of maturity of the
people, who want a peaceful and trouble free election.
As we begin the next part of our democratic process, the campaign,
we can expect more provocations and unhealthy tactics to win votes. As right
thinking citizens let us not succumb to such tactics but continue to exercise
great maturity and wisdom so that the election can be conducted in a peaceful
manner. Come what may the candidates, their supporters and the people at large must
be prepared to accept the verdict of the voters on 5 May as the voice of the
rakyat is final.
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