Anwar Ibrahim - between Syaitan DAP & the deep Green sea

Dear Anwar Ibrahim - for a man not even permitted by law to stand as a candidate in Malaysian elections until the end of April 2008 – is under political siege, nay, not from UMNO or the Barisan Nasional (BN), but from the DAP and PAS, his main allies in the sometimes-on sometimes-off so-called Barisan Alternatif.

PAS has now dangled the Kota Baru carrot in front of Anwar, asking him to contest in Kelantan in the next general election while allowing his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to defend her Permatang Pauh seat.

Either PAS or the Star Online referred to his wife’s Permatang Pauh constituency as his stronghold, which may be misleading as the last election had shown.

Yes, one could argue that the narrow escape by Dr Wan Azizah had been due to the BN’s naughty whatever, but that’s exactly what will happen again especially if Anwar were to front up as a candidate for Permatang Pauh.

Tengku Razaleigh had also advised Anwar that he will lose Permatang Pauh the next time he contests there.

So will Anwar take up PAS’ offer?

Kelantan Legislative Assembly speaker Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Abdullah said of Anwar contesting in KB: “He has a good chance of winning in Kota Baru because the three state seats under the parliamentary area are held by PAS assemblymen.”

The Kota Baru incumbent is Zaid Ibrahim (BN). So we may ask Wan Abdul Rahim why the KB seat is held by BN if the three state seats under the parliamentary area are held by PAS assemblymen.

On Anwar’s call for PAS and DAP to cooperate with PKR in the polls, Wan Abdul Rahim, who is known as a party strategist, said: “Our relationship with PKR is very clear. It is our sole partner in the Barisan Alternatif.”

“… sole partner …” – guess that makes it plain.

... hardly surprising when DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said DAP would not work with PAS “under any circumstances” unless it dropped its Islamic state ideology.

"... under any circumstances unless ..." - well Lim, bloody make up your mind, because your “under any circumstances” excludes "unless".

Lim said: “I confirm that DAP is working with PKR but maintain the stand that we are not working with PAS.”

DAP chairman Karpal Singh drove a stake into the heart of Anwar’s call for a united front when he chided Anwar, saying the PKR could not have the “best of both worlds” and must choose either the DAP or PAS as its ally.

“…could not have the best of both worlds …” – but that’s Anwar Ibrahim’s speciality!

The Lion of Gelugor warned that DAP would not collaborate with PKR as long as PAS was in the picture, though he did affirm his party’s willingness to work with PKR.

Now, firm commitment has not been a noted feature in Anwar Ibrahim’s pronouncements thus far (unless it’s for or against UMNO).

So now, we await with abated breath for his decision or more likely, his renown Houdini-ish elegant evasive escape from the PAS & Parti-tindakan-demokratik political Panzer-like pincer attack.