Political controversies occuring in Malaysia over the past one year are a chain reaction of Barisan Nasional’s political vengeance to halt emergence of Pakatan Rakyat, said two former DAP leaders in Penang today.

Pakatan is seen as a real threat to Barisan’s dominance, the two pointed out.

pakatan rakyat under siege 230209 teoh teik huat Former state DAP chairperson Teoh Teik Huat (left) however, regretted that the Pakatan leadership was not prepared to tackle and counter an imminent BN political backlash following the federal ruling coalition’s unprecedented loss in the last general election.

"Pakatan leaders should have realised that the BN vengeful reaction was inevitable following its electoral defeat. BN, particularly Umno, has always made a quick kill of its opposition.

"Pakatan leaders should have been prepared to face and handle the reaction," he told Malaysiakini , adding that the leaders were left wanting and caught off guard with the BN political backlash.

Teoh, a former three-term assemblyperson (1982 - 1995), suggested that the best Pakatan could do now was to prove to the people that it could be a ‘viable, reliable and progressive alternative with a difference’ to BN.

All eyes on Pakatan reps

Teoh said Pakatan had four state governments – Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Selangor - under its fold to do just that.

"Between now and the next general election, Pakatan leaders and elected representatives should be extra careful in their movements as deeds and misdeeds would be monitored by the intelligence units.

"They will be vulnerable and become political victims of any wrongdoings," warned Teoh, formerly the Bagan parliamentarian (1986-1990).

Another former DAP stalwart K Balasundaram, pointed out the current controversies besieging Pakatan allies, especially PKR, were mainly caused by premier designate Najib Abdul Razak’s ambitious grand plan to stamp his authority as the "all powerful Prime Minister".

Najib is set to succeed Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the premier and najib tun razak wearing songkok Umno president during the Umno general assembly next month.

"Najib will first tame the external rivals then move on to kill internal rivals within Umno and BN.

Unhealthy politics dangerous

"No doubt Pakatan is under siege now," stressed the former Penang DAP political education bureau chief, who was previously Datuk Keramat state assemblyperson (1990-1995).

However, Balasundaram warned that such unhealthy political trends could be dangerous and send the country back to the political era of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed.

"Reviving Mahathirism would send the country backwards. The people need to stop this," said Balasundaram.

Among the main controversies that involved Pakatan recently was the attention around the Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case.

The subsequent disappearance of private investigator P Balasubramaniam and his family after he had made two shocking statutory declarations related to the murder case was a major talking point in town since mid-last year.

p balasubramaniam altantuya murder case private investigator In his first statutory declaration, Balasubramaniam (left) claimed that Najib had links with the murdered Altantuya, only to deny it the next day with a fresh statutory declaration.

The sedition charge instituted against webmaster Raja Petra Kamaruddin for raising many questions on who’s who was behind Altantuya’s murder has also been a controversial subject for political discussion.

Pakatan must work hard

Then there was the Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan (below) sodomy allegation against Pakatan supremo and Permatang Pauh parliamentarian Anwar Ibrahim.

Both the former DAP leaders also cited abuse of the Internal Security Act to quieten politicians, activists, bloggers and even journalists to show that BN was bent on using all intimidating tactics to stem Pakatan’s growing option as a viable alternative political entity.

mohd saiful bukhari azlan 4 at jawi 271108 The recent Perak political crisis triggered by the fall of the Pakatan state government, the resignation of PKR Bukit Selambau assemblyperson and Kedah executive councillor V Arumugam and the public relevation of Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong's private photos are all seen as BN political inventions.

Teoh and Balasundaram suggested that Pakatan state governments use their current administrative opportunities to develop good governance and a people-orientated political system based on democratic principles, conventions and virtues.

"By doing this, Pakatan can show to the people that the coalition is different from BN. This would help the coalition in next general election," both summed up.