COMMENT Like it or not, politicking will never cease.

Even religious organisations are not spared. At least someone has the audacity to admit: “If you ever find a perfect church, don’t join it because it won’t be perfect any more.”

The same can be said about the mosque, the temple, and even the non-governmental organisation or the old boys’ association which is supposed to promote camaraderie amongst the alumni of one’s alma mater, not to mention even within the same family, there are clashes between brothers and sisters, and between parents and children where it is sad to hear, “My son no longer visits me any more.”

This is human nature governed by sin - which exhibits itself as ego, pride and the craving for power, money and sex.

There will always be strong characters, and others who are manipulative. When two strong personalities cannot get along, there will be clashes. In the political arena, this becomes more obvious when the slightest news is magnified by the opposing side.

For example, over the debacle involving two Pakatan Harapan parties in Sarawak, pundits immediately jump into conclusion that the new coalition will not survive. The opponent, in this case Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak himself, will immediately jump in, hoping to create a perception of disunity, notwithstanding that Najib is currently facing a bigger split in the Terengganu state government, involving two main Umno warlords.

Pundits and other pro-Barisan Nasional ‘analysts’ also use this as an opportunity to hit out at the opposition front, but they do not give the other side of the story.

Another good example is that Najib himself is facing a major crack within Umno over the way he evaded responsibility over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal. This has become so serious in recent weeks that it could lead to the party splitting further. The Terengganu debacle could well have a domino effect on other Umno-controlled states.

His nemesis and former mentor Dr Mahathir Mohamad cannot see things eye-to-eye with Najib, and Dr Mahathir himself is leading the pack against Najib’s leadership. With the signing of the Citizens’ Declaration, it is now citizens against Najib and his current regime.

As a much younger leader, Najib should be respecting Dr Mahathir; instead, we see Najib becoming antagonistic towards the hand which once lifted him up. It is as if Umno does not have its lack of unity over a major issue; I therefore find it amusing when I read how Najib took a jab at the opposition for its lack of consensus .

There will always be conflicts

Conflicts are normal. So long as there are human beings within an organisation, there will always be conflicts. This is to be expected, whether it is Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Harapan. Old forces can realign again, new forces can be formed.

Sometimes, when both sides start to cool down, things can return to normal again. Both sides will begin to realise that they lacked communication, and sometimes, they will also begin to realise there were double agents who were trying to cause a split. All these possibilities are real and cannot be underestimated.

In the case of Sarawak, and Pakatan Harapan’s stumbling over the allocation of seats, one cannot discount the fact that the election heat is intense, dirty and unfair. To start with, opposition leaders from West Malaysia have been denied entry into Sarawak, a case which should never have happened in the Land of the Hornbills if Chief Minister Adenan Satem and Najib still believe in 1Malaysia!

I will not be surprised that there is a lot of money politics involved in an effort to destablise the opposition front and win the state election through whatever means. There is too much stake involved for the caretaker state government. For Adenan, this is his opportunity to seek his own mandate to rule Sarawak. For Najib, it is an endorsement for his already wobbly leadership.

We are told by PKR Sarawak’s election operations director Ismail Yusop that at least one of the candidates, Alex Lihan (Bukit Sari), had not turned up on the nomination day, and that also without an explanation. There can be a thousand and one reasons for the candidate’s failure to turn up.

To therefore pick this, or any other weaknesses and condemn the entire coalition or criticise PKR’s selection process as faulty, is in my opinion, both naïve and shortsighted. I even have people asking me why ordinary citizens should financially support PKR or DAP, since both parties have full control of two of the country’s richest states - Selangor and Penang.

They are the same people who would curse and swear when the opposition does not have the numbers to block a particular law in Parliament. My question to them is: How do you expect the opposition to perform, unless it has your support?

In a democracy, the majority wins. And, in Malaysia, because of the design of the parliamentary constituencies, it is the minority that rules. For this reason, I support the Citizens’ Declaration.

To the same people, I would say, “So what if both PKR and DAP are clashing in Batu Kitang, Mambong, Ngemah, Simanggang and Murum?” BN also has its fair share, where they are facing a three-cornered fight as well.

This is part and parcel of human conflicts that will forever go on, whether it is with BN or Pakatan.

Seeing the bigger picture

Instead of trying to tear down a fledgling opposition front, I would see things in a bigger picture. The country, as we know it, is moving towards a failed state. It is the result of years of unabated plundering of its rich resources.

The time has come for the opposition to be strong enough to take over the federal government, so that Umno and BN will learn for once that they cannot assume that they will be forever in power.

What we need is a democracy with two equally strong coalitions; only then can we become what is known as the third force.

Only then, can we as ordinary citizens tell both sides that we are the real bosses. But until that materialises for the sake of our future generations, for now, I would still support the opposition regardless of their mistakes and stupid things that they do.

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.