Cracks appearing in Pakatan Harapan?

Published: Jan 7, 2016 4:46 PM | Updated: Jan 7, 2016 7:18 PM

Three months after the opposition coalition was reconstituted as Pakatan Harapan, the political pact is facing its first public dispute in Selangor.

This is over the allocation of local council seats for Parti Amanah Negara which was granted eight places instead of the 24 it sought.

However, PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli believes the dispute will not lead to a short-lived Pakatan Harapan but admitted the public disagreement does not reflect well on the new coalition.

Three months after the opposition coalition was reconstituted as Pakatan Harapan, the political pact is facing its first public dispute in Selangor.

This is over the allocation of local council seats for Parti Amanah Negara which was granted eight places instead of the 24 it sought.

However, PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli believes the dispute will not lead to a short-lived Pakatan Harapan but admitted the public disagreement does not reflect well on the new coalition.

"If you recall, every year when it comes to the appointments of local councillors, there will always be an issue; it's not a new thing.

"But Pakatan leaders have to accept that we are already struggling with the cynicism, compounded by problems because of our differences," he told Malaysiakini .

Rafizi was responding to Selangor Amanah chief Izham Hashim, who expressed disappointment over the allocation.

"They have to be fair to us. We have our dignity. We are not just out to fulfill some quota; we want to make our presence felt," he had told Malay Mail Online .

The dispute is reminiscent of the public disagreement in Pakatan Rakyat over the Kajang by-election in 2014, which escalated during the Selangor menteri besar crisis.

Keep grouses behind closed doors

Meanwhile, Rafizi said while he is always supportive of Amanah, it should not be airing its grouses publicly.

He added that this rule of preventing unilateral public statements on disputes will be included in the Pakatan Harapan agreement set to be signed by all component parties this weekend.

"I know the agreement is not in effect yet but I call upon all Pakatan leaders at all levels to begin internalising this commitment that we are going to make this weekend.

"When the Pakatan agreement is unveiled, the public will know exactly the expectations put on each party when it comes to maintaining our political union; a key thing will be not to issue public statements unilaterally on disagreements.

"I am sure the public will be comforted by the commitment the parties will make to avoid this kind of thing (public dispute) but at the same time, the parties must begin to convince the public that we will honour our commitments," he said.

Rafizi added that this is to prevent the new coalition from repeating the past mistake of public spats that led to the demise of Pakatan Rakyat.

Within this framework, the PKR leader said he is certain the local council issue can be resolved amicably behind closed doors.

The complication in the local council issue is due to trying to reconcile PAS with its splinter party Amanah.