I refer to the letter Zul will support PKR but maybe not Pakatan .

A good part of the letter is spent praising Anwar Ibrahim. The writer then proceeds to talk about how PKR was formed. The essence of PKR, he maintains, is ‘reformasi’. As he says, ‘This party [PKR] belongs to the members of the 'reformasi'....PKR is ultimately the child of the 'reformasi' movement and those who do not subscribe to that spirit may not be able to withstand the pressure of sensitivies of 'reformasi' itself.’

He goes on to suggest that Khalid Samad, wonderful as he may be, does not belong to PKR. Likewise, Zaid Ibrahim may leave. Why? Bearing in mind his defence of Zulkifli Nordin on the basis of him being a child of the 'reformasi', presumably Khalid and Zaid may leave because they are not of similar progeny.

Well, isn't that all vague rhetoric? What is this 'reformasi' anyway? Is it anything substantive? Surely PKR isn't about reforming for reforming's sake. Just like an opposition shouldn't be opposing for opposing's sake. Surely that's not sufficient reason to vote for either the 'reformasi' or for the opposition. Unless one's a big fan of James Dean and wants to be an reformer or opposer without a cause.

If we were to explore the essence of 'reformasi', I would suggest that it would be contrary to some of the writer’s points. The writer gives special weight to the ‘members of the 'reformasi'’.(does that meano nly those who were involved in the 'reformasi' in 1999, excluding all subsequent followers?).

But does just being around at the right time and with the right people make one a reformer? I would suggest that 'reformasi' speaks about doing away with cronyism, doing away with accidental special privileges (such as being special and above reproach because one's way up in hierarchy), and doing away with superficial puffing up.

'Reformasi' is not a badge we wear so we can distinguish those who are in the club and those who are not. ‘I'm PKR! You, latecomer, don't belong!’ Rather, it's about our hopes and aspirations for the country. It's about a dream.

A dream where our country is grown up, putting childish playground scuffles behind it. Where we can be equals, and respectfully look to each other as equals - not just ‘tolerating’ each other like we tolerate annoying toothaches.

And does 'reformasi' merely belong to the so-called children of the 'reformasi'? I would like to think not. The true spirit of 'reformasi', I would like to think, is (or can be) in all of us - PKR, DAP, PAS, Gerakan, Umno alike (cf. Zaid Ibrahim).

It's a spirit which yearns for improvement, which desires a better state of affairs than our current childish but dangerous partisan war games.

The irony is that those who cling on to the badge of 'reformasi' may through their thoughts and actions lose the spirit of it.