PKR meltdown - the Anwar Ibrahim factor?

I have said it before and I say it now, that PKR is becoming unstuck - see my earlier post The Rise & Fall & Fall of ........ .

The party, or rather the KeADILan component of it, that was formed to fight for Anwar Ibrahim’s release from incarceration, is being gradually but surely destroyed, and by none other than its very raison d’etre, Anwar Ibrahim.

Ijok was when the Indian members realized that the so-called multi-ethnic party wanted to continue playing the ethnic card it had done in Lunas, Kedah – failing of course to heed Dr Muzzaffar’s analysis that in Lunas it had won because the Chinese had been convinced to punish the MCA-BN. See my earlier post Ijok Indians racially marginalised by PKR?

Then Anwar Ibrahim was not around. But in Ijok, with Anwar Ibrahim campaigning, the Chinese were once again reminded of his past records and unfavourable policies against the interests of the Chinese community.

So it was hardly surprising that it lost not only Ijok but the mainstay of its Indian bloc. Anwar Ibrahim’s good buddy, Nallakaruppan left with a huff and a puff because, according to him, Anwar instructed him not to contest the party's VP position. Well, that's Anwar's style of democracy, I suppose. For background, see also PKR's Sepoy Mutiny?

Predictably the PKR devotees lambasted Nalla for being greedy, self-centred, poor performing, etc as if anyone had expected those PKR diehards to bemoan his departure.

But Nalla's acrimonous leaving has cast serious questions about Anwar Ibrahim's commitment to the PKR's claim to multi-ethnic policies and proclivities.

And it’s not just the Indians because prior to PKR’s recent party polls, the by-now-former PKR Youth secretary SD Johari had also accused then-party-advisor-now-de-facto-leader Anwar Ibrahim of meddling with party polls.

Johari who had received the highest number of nominations was so disgusted with Anwar Ibrahim’s meddling that he withdrew completely from not only the party polls but party activities as well, to concentrate on teh work of Ezam’s NGO.

Usually, most PKR members, especially those of the younger set, have a fanatical devotion to Anwar to the extent of displaying virtual kamikazi take-no-prisoner behaviour towards any critics of Anwar or PKR. I had called those who conducted their defence of Anwar Ibrahim on their web with their merciless mangling mauling plus vile vitriolic venom cyber-jihadists.

Therefore for a bloke like Johari to shift from feral devotion to frustrated despising of Anwar must have said something about the once-iconic Anwar Ibrahim.

His Teflon coating has worn off and some of his own people are now to get him, especially more so when he proclaimed himself as de facto leader without so much as some semblance of democratic process or even 'face' for his poor wife, the de jure leader of the party.

From hypocritical democracy to arrogant de facto leadership – a coup d’etat within a captive community, where all likely opposition had left out of disgust through betrayal or frustration from meddling.

And that’s only the beginning because malaysiakini has reported that a crisis for the PKR looms in Kedah.

As I have said, the man who’s gradually but surely destroying the party is Anwar Ibrahim himself, this time through his alleged preference for high-profile and wealthy individuals.

malaysiakini reported that its Baling branch, which had some 1,000 members, was dissolved last week. Nine other branches in the state are expected to do the same soon. PKR Baling chief Radzi Md Lazim accused the top leaders (there seems to be only one) have allegedly sidelined those at the divisional level who have been part of the struggle since the party’s inception in 1999.

He stated: “We object the attitude of the top leaders, including party advisor Anwar Ibrahim and president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who have not cared about the divisions for a long time.”

Maybe he didn’t know Anwar Ibrahim has declared himself dictat... de facto leader?

Radzi said this did not happen when Anwar was in prison, but things changed when he was released and made party advisor.

“Corporate people were brought into the party one after another. These people never go to the ground and the grassroots feel sidelined. A glaring example is Anwar choosing Khalid Ibrahim, a corporate heavyweight close to him, to contest in the Ijok by-election.”

Radzi said he had tried in vain to meet Anwar numerous times to explain to him the situation on the ground. But he said Anwar was just “too busy and had no time” to discuss the matter.

I am not sure how true this story is, but I heard from a PKR person that during the wedding of Anwar's daughter, his most ardent supporters, people who took to the streets for him and were bashed by the police for their devotion, and who had remained faithful to him throughout his incarceration, had to remain and take their meals outside his house under tents while invited BN (UMNO) leaders, the so-called enemies, were received like guests of honour into his palatial mansion.

If this story from a PKR member is true, then I am not surprised. As Radzi Md Lazim said “... Anwar Ibrahim and president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail ... have not cared about the divisions for a long time.”