PKR Dynastic 'Democracy'?

Today I see Malaysiakini with its premier headline as Election debut for 'Puteri Reformasi'.

There are many things wrong with such an extragavant proclamation.

In Indonesia when you ask someone as to his or her daughter, you use the honorific word ‘puteri’ to refer to the female offspring (and ‘putera’ for the son).

But we aren’t in Indonesia. This is Malaysia where ‘puteri’ means princess. Thus, ‘Puteri Reformasi’ means the ‘Princess of (political) reforms’, suggesting either that her father is the King of (political) reforms or she herself is the mover of amazing political reforms. But I believe the title alluded to the fallacious fable of her father's so-called refomasi movement.

One - Is PKR or Malaysiakini proposing cultism, a cult of Anwar Ibrahim as the Raja or Sultan (monarch) of whatever, and his family then as the royal family of politics?

Are we then to bestow upon Dr Wan Azizah the title of Ratu (queen) Reformasi and consequentially Anwar's daughter as what the Malaysiakini headline screams out, ‘Puteri Reformasi’?

I hope Malaysiakini can moderate such headlines and refrain from this sort of pompous piffling pronouncement before readers begin to believe it’s a PKR mouthpiece in the same manner as we sneer at the Star Online and NST as the mouthpieces of the BN.

It’s only in Malaysiakini that we constantly see Anwar Ibrahim referred to his own claim, the ‘de facto’ leader of PKR – not realising what a shameful title that is, bespeaking of dictatorship of the party by an unelected person.

If you note very carefully, the DAP has never referred to him as the ‘de facto’ leader of PKR, but rather correctly as the ‘advisor’ to PKR. Yes, one may say the DAP are full of prim and proper prudes who are tight ass-ed with the use of words, but at least they aren’t given to shameless claims as some PKR members. Even as a non-PKR person, I cringe each time I hear PKR members refer to Anwar as the party’s de facto leader.

Two – what justification has Anwar to the claim of reformasi (political reforms)?

This has been a man who has never mentioned a single word of political reform until he was outside UMNO – rather au contraire, remember Apcet II?

Not one word, nay, not a microscopic speck of hint of such, when he was in an actual powerful position to effect changes for the better. But now, outside UMNO, he’s suffering from verbal diarrhoea about democracy, reforms and various other sweet meaningless nothing.

Guess what will happen if/when he returns to UMNO? You work it out!

Three – What claim does his daughter, Nurul, have to the title of Puteri Reformasi? Visit a few squatter huts?

I know I am being unfair to her personally as she’s not the one who has laid claim to such a title, OK, so I must ask Malaysiakini! Sorry, Nurul, I am not directing that remark against you - just consider yourself as collateral damage.

Four - Is his daughter the only suitable candidate for Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat in Kuala Lumpur?

Well, according to Malaysiakini, PKR’s KL elections director Salehuddin Hashim admitted that Nurul Izzah is not a senior member, but insisted that she will be the best candidate for Lembah Pantai.

Why is she the best candidate?

No answer!

But Salehuddin Hashim said he would personally manage her election campaign with a ‘special’ team. Wow! Needless to say, royal treatment appropriate for a party princess who has been leapfrogged (like dad in UMNO) to the frontline.

It’s little wonder that such PKR party decision saw Nallakaruppan, SD Johari Yasin, Ezam Mohd Noor, Abdul Rahman Othman (KeADILan party membership No 3, immediately after the PKR royal couple), PKR Baling chief Radzi Md Lazim and the entire 1000 strong Baling branch and hundreds of Indians leave the party.

Yes, they did so because of one particular person, none other than Anwar Ibrahim.

Please read:
(1) The 8 D's of DSAI
(2) Anwar Ibrahim interferes with PKR polls?
(3) PKR's Sepoy Mutiny?
(4) PKR meltdown - the Anwar Ibrahim factor?
(5) Members abandoning PKR ship

Anwar Ibrahim’s erstwhile good buddy, Nallakaruppan left in disgust because, according to him, Anwar instructed him not to contest the party's VP position. Well, that's Anwar's (de facto) style of democracy, I suppose.

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

But as everyone knew, Nalla's acrimonious leaving had cast serious questions about Anwar Ibrahim's commitment to the PKR's claim to multi-ethnic policies and proclivities. We have just seen how the Chinese section of PKR has recently wrestled bitterly with DAP over seats allocation despite Anwar’s agreement with Lim Jnr/Snr. The Chinese section of PKR must have realized that they were ‘forgotten’ or not considered in the Anwar-Lim seats negotiations – ha ha ha! - and decided they have to take matters into their own hands.

And it’s not just the Indians (or Chinese) because prior to the last PKR party polls, the former PKR Youth secretary SD Johari had also accused Anwar Ibrahim of meddling with party polls.

Johari who received the highest number of nominations was so disgusted with Anwar’s meddling that he withdrew completely from the party polls and then left the party with Ezam.

Now, we see a certain junior party member catapulted to a prime parliamentary seat ahead of more senior people who had strived hard and sacrificed much for Anwar.

And why? What's so special about her?

So, is PKR a democratic party?

How then can we expect PKR to be worthy of our votes if it’s not?