When the intimate photos of Elizabeth Wong, Bukit Lanjan state assemblyperson and Selangor exco, were circulated in cyberspace, it was nothing short of outrageous. The incident effectively forced Wong into a hiatus as her political foes – both within and without Pakatan Rakyat – were eagerly awaiting the day when she would officially call it quits.

Fortunately, Wong’s constituents did not stand idly by. They quickly organised themselves to call on her to stay on, while making it clear to PKR that they would be prepared to vote otherwise should a by-election is called in Wong’s state seat of Bukit Lanjan, northwest of Kuala Lumpur.

The mounting pressure from various NGOs for the Selangor government to keep Wong was most helpful to Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, who is perhaps the single most important supporter in the PKR top leadership whom Wong could count on. Khalid was indeed wise to turn down Wong’s resignation as state assemblyperson and exco yesterday.

elizabeth wong crying at her resignation nude photos fiasco 250209 It was also gracious of Khalid to speak highly of Wong, reiterating that she was a victim in the entire episode. The menteri besar’s wholehearted support for Wong shows that he is committed to moving beyond personal issues and to raising the level of political debate in Malaysia. Together, they have demonstrated their determination to rise above gutter politics.

Wong’s firm stand on the right to privacy, especially in the case of women, is laudable. Instead of giving in, she now looks right into the face of those who have waged a vicious attack against her. In so doing, a new paradigm in Malaysian politics is forged. Wong has bravely defied the evil wishes of her enemies and a new paradigm for Malaysian politics is forged. Bravo!

As I have argued two months back , once those who wanted Wong to quit politics had tasted blood, they would not rest until they had devoured their prey, perhaps bringing the entire Selangor government down with them. There would also be no end to under-handed attempts to undermine promising careers of politicians on either side of the divide.

selangor adun ceremony 220408 khir toyo But the battle against such sinister efforts to bring down a capable and popular politician is barely over. Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, the former menteri besar who is almost certain to be consigned to history following his ignominious defeat in the recent Umno election, has made clear his intention to exploit the issue for political mileage.

That is only expected, given that the Malay-based party can hardly produce politicians of good standing these days. Shorn of any significant political achievements in the past, and proven to be corrupt to the core, Khir can only resort to dirty tricks in the hope of arresting his fast diminishing political fortune. History will not judge him too kindly should he persist in this insidious pursuit of character assassination.

More worrying is the reaction within Pakatan Rakyat. Though the alternative coalition has seen its influence extend beyond its wildest dream, the path to power is strewn with pitfalls nonetheless.

In Penang, Mohammad Fairus was forced to step down as deputy chief minister as the prospect of corruption charges against him loomed large. One month on, the top leadership in PKR is still unable to come to a decision on his replacement, indicating a serious power struggle and this does not augur well for the fledgling coalition.

As for Selangor, while the conservative forces and the moral vanguards within the state government are content to go along with Khalid’s decision to keep Wong, whether or not they will close rank and stand firmly behind the coalition should more intimate photos be exposed remains to be seen. Their attitude then will be a crucial test for Pakatan’s cohesion and sustainability.

There’s no smoke without fire

For those who have been following the semi-nude photos incident and its development thereafter, it is interesting to note the conspiracy against Khalid using Wong’s so-called “scandal”, with some even equating it with the corrupt practices of other fallen politicians! Quite clearly, these opposition leaders are eyeing a new career of their own rather than new politics.

Will they put the people’s interests before their own? After all, one must not be so naïve as to overlook the bitter rivalry within Pakatan, and most certainly within PKR. That this has not surfaced is only because the coalition now senses its chances of coming to power nationally and is doing its utmost to contain it.

hasan ali umno pas selangor talk quality hotel 300708 04 A key person to observe is Hasan Ali ( left ) of PAS, whose position on a host of public issues is questionable at best. Worse, he has strong allies nationwide and together they seek to stick their collective noses into every aspect of the lives of others in a manner that is worthy of Umno. They are synonymous with moral policing, self-righteousness and, needless to say, ideological dearth and administrative incapability.

Fortunately, there are liberals like Khalid Samad and Dzulkefly Ahmad within the Islamic party to balance against the conservatives. Still, one must not underestimate the undercurrents that could easily overwhelm PKR and its coalition partners, especially when BN is constantly on a lookout for missteps by the Pakatan state government.

Will Pakatan eventually win the battle but lose the war? Only time will tell. What is certain is, if some of its powerful members are bent on cashing in on Wong’s misfortune in order to fulfill their political ambitions, even to the extent of rummaging through our private lives, it would be akin to cementing the burgeoning police state in Malaysia.

That way, all the rhetoric of new politics as espoused by Pakatan would only prove to be as good as Umno’s pledge to weed out corruption.

JOSH HONG is a Malaysiakini columnist.