PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim dismissed speculation that the formation of the non-Muslim supporters wing of PAS redounded to the disadvantage of Pakatan Rakyat components, PKR and DAP.

In remarks made to Malaysiakini today, the de facto leader of Pakatan commented: “Such speculation exhibits the stereotyping that is a legacy of a half-century’s rule by Barisan Nasional.”

“It’s BN that wants to spawn the stereotype that PAS is the party of oppositionists Muslims, DAP of oppositionists Chinese, and PKR of oppositionists Malays,” remarked Anwar.

pkr congress agm kota baru 300510 anwar speech The opposition leader said the results of the March 2008 general election flew in the face of this stereotyping.

“The tectonic shifts to the national political landscape were caused by Malays voting for DAP candidates, Chinese voting for PAS candidates and Indians voting the same way,” said Anwar.

He described this cross-racial voting behavior as the “great emancipation” that freed the Malaysian polity from the “reflexive racism a half-century of BN rule had imbued it.”

“Look at how Umno-BN struggles to adjust to the realities of the March 2008 election results and compare that with the ease with which a DAP-led Pakatan government helps Muslims in Penang and how PAS has paved the way to acceptance of a non-Muslim wing in the party,” asserted Anwar.

“Although, strictly speaking, I should not want to speak for the DAP in this matter, to say that PKR would be uneasy with a non-Muslim supporters wing for PAS is to fall into the trap of the reflexive racism that is Umno-BN’s stock stereotype for the way the races ought to regard the various opposition parties,” explained Anwar.

“This is the racism that was implicitly rejected by voters at the March 2008 election and this is the sectarian stereotyping that Umno-BN finds itself so difficult to free itself from,” held Anwar.

‘Let a thousand flowers bloom’

He said PKR are not in any way uneasy with the formation of the non-Muslim supporters’ wing in PAS because “this is the natural issue of trends flowing out of the March 2008 general election.”

“Our attitude is to let a thousand flowers bloom. Democratic change of this sort is something you can influence but should not rigidly supervene,” offered Anwar.

The PKR leader is regarded as the chief architect of the cross-racial voting trend that showed up at the March 2008 general election.