Another victory for the Pakatan Rakyat, most of us think, is a step closer to entrenching a two-party system. One of the strongest reasons why PAS won the seat was because of the ‘open’ debate that all Pakatan parties conducted over hudud , the second bogey after May 13.

This is a very healthy development, where a public debate took place and none of leaders attempted to sweep it under the carpet. In many ways, the Kuala Terengganu by-election is significant because it educated Malaysians about hudud , their constitutional rights and the power of the vote.

At the same time, Malaysians have come to accept the reality that like it or not, Islam is part and parcel of national history. The religion, especially how it has developed here, will continue to influence nation-building. The KT by-election has shown us how political parties make use of Islam to sow fear and to divide us. But the election results demonstrate that Malaysians can rise above such shallow tactics.

The by-election has also demonstrated how the PR works. PAS has made its stance on hudud clear. It wants to implement it but will do so only through constitutional means. The DAP's stance is also clear, it rejects any attempt to temper with the Malaysian constitution, particularly the guarantee that we are a secular state albeit developing in our own style.

The PKR, particularly through Anwar Ibrahim, demonstrated leadership and moderated both DAP and PAS. What this means is that for PAS or any party to implement hudud , they must get a two-thirds majority in parliament and more importantly, an overwhelming majority of the popular vote.

Perhaps a day will come when many Malaysians want to implement hudud but till then PAS and DAP have agreed to work through consensus. All of this is clear for everyone to see. Pakatan won because it did not hide its stance and there appears to be equal partnership at work here. PAS may have won this by-election and in the process this has won the PR even more support in the country.

On the other hand, the BN played its hand rather poorly. The MCA attacked the DAP on hudud . This is pointing out the obvious. The DAP has never accepted hudud and objects to the arbitrary declaration by Dr Mahathir Mohamad that Malaysia is an Islamic state. The MCA has yet to make its stand clear on that score.

Whilst the MCA attacks PAS for wanting to introduce hudud , which is also painfully obvious and which PAS has never denied, the MCA is silent about Umno's stance on the issue. For that matter, Umno itself is silent.

So, what the MCA and Umno have demonstrated is that they have yet to find their feet in the post-March political reality. In fact, their attempt to show Pakatan as a fly-by-night coalition has backfired.

Malaysians must be wondering if the BN itself is still a viable coalition especially when the Chinese are voting for PAS despite the playing up of hudud .

Now is the time for Pakatan Rakyat to live up to its name. It must continue to practice open debates, bring issues before the public and, in the process, plant their feet even more firmly in the middle ground.

The coalition, now having administered five states for nearly a year, is no longer a fancy idea but a serious contender for government.

For Malaysians, the real issue is not whether PR makes it to Putrajaya but how far we can shape the political agenda to be more inclusive, pragmatic and non-sectarian. Keeping a vigilant eye on both sides of the political divide is more important than ever.

By doing this we are making the two-party system more viable and help prepare Malaysia to be a truly ‘developed’ country.