I refer to the Malaysakini report Anwar slammed over 'back door' bid for Putrajaya.

I am hardly a fan of Chandra Muzaffar whom I do not regard as an intellectual as he has allowed himself to be co-opted by the powers that be. His vacillating political allegiances give this impression.

However, his comments regarding Anwar's strategy to bring down BN do have merit. Those who claim to be true democrats who are fighting for a better Malaysia must stick to the basics of the democratic process if they are to have any credibility.

How can you claim to be the ‘people's representative’ or an 'agent of the rakyat ' if you subvert the democratic process by co-opting BN MPs who were elected by the rakyat ? Surely this is thumbing one's nose at the choice of the rakyat .

What about all the derogatory terms like katak which were levelled at opposition MPs who joined the BN in the past? Did not leaders who are now in Pakatan Raykyat (PR) propose an 'anti-hopping law' in the past?

It is important for Pakatan to have moral legitimacy. Once you lose moral legitimacy, it is a sure and easy way for PR to turn itself into BN Mark II with the consequent betrayal of the millions who have placed trust in you for a better Malaysia.

The 30 MPs who want to join PR must resign from their positions just as Wan Azizah did and bring about a by-election. What is wrong with having 30 by-elections? This is surely the only way to confirm that these MPs are the people's true representatives.

Pakatan is simply not ready to form a federal government. With Anwar as opposition leader, it must iron out the seemingly intractable ideological divide between DAP/PKR and PAS. As it is, there is sense that PAS is not at all keen on a secular democratic Malaysian Malaysia. Their secret overtures to Umno is symptomatic of this.

The future of Malaysia is at a crossroads. Power-grabbing by the opposition will not solve our multifarious problems. It will only mean replacing one virtual dictatorship with another.

We still do not know what Anwar's position is on apostasy for Muslims. He has in a cowardly fashion chosen to keep quiet. Why has he not condemned the syariah courts for ruling that Revathi is still a 'Muslim forever and cannot change her faith'? Why has he not recognised Lina Joy as a Christian?

Why does he want a Christian like Lina to have her faith determined by the syariah courts who have no jurisdiction over a Christian? Does Anwar really believe in freedom of worship as guaranteed by the constitution? Will Anwar repeal the colonial laws on sodomy which to date have only served to persecute political opponents?

Does Anwar now believe that consenting adult Malaysians have a fundamental right to their bodies and can pleasure themselves in whatever ways they see fit without fear of prosecution?

These are not trivial issues and go to the heart of what freedom and democracy is all about. We need answers before we can endorse a Pakatan government. It should articulate a unified political ideology. As things stand, PR should concentrate on evolving itself into a formidable opposition which will make BN accountable and help it rehabilitate

This will be a long-drawn out process and Anwar's 'Sept 16th' deadline is a trifle premature. BN needs to re-invent itself into a truly multiracial coalition which speaks for all Malaysians as opposed to its current focus on Malay and Muslim supremacy.

This change in mindset will make it a suitable and effective opposition if and when Pakatan Rakyat wins the mandate to rule.