On Two Fronts: Pas And Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Star 19 Nov 2012

No matter how Pm Najib tries to avoid calling for the 13 GE (13th general election) despite having claimed many times that he was confident of winning, we are at the cusp of it whether Najib wants to call for one or not, because a GE is required by law to be called by April of next year.

So, it is really unwise and unfortunate that at their recently concluded 58th muktamar (assembly) Pas's ulama faction had agitated for their president Hadi Awang to become the next Pm of Malaysia should Pakatan manage to wrest Putrajaya from the ruling Barisan coalition in the coming 13 GE.

This is like throwing a spanner in the works at the last moment because it had already been agreed among the Pakatan partners that Anwar Ibrahim would be the next Pm if Pakatan won.

It is also unwise because Pas ulama's call will only give Barisan just the right fodder to use to claim that that proves Pas only want to impose hudud once Pakatan wins and HadI Awang becomes the Pm.

I don't think Malaysians as a whole are ready for an ulama to be their Prime Minister.

The ulama's call will likely lose the Pakatan coalition crucial votes just when the coalition needs all the help they can get.

If Pas feel that the non-Malays are now enamoured with the Islamic party, they had better think twice.

We might have no choice because we want a change of government and currently, there is no viable alternative other than Pakatan. In fact, we had rather that Pas not be a Pakatan coalition partner.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 

Malaysia is pro Palestine and it is therefore not surprising that Pm Najib has called for a parliamentary motion to strongly condemn Israel for taking retaliatory action against Gaza for the latter's rocket attacks into Israel (The Star 19 Nov 2012)

I have no problem with that, but Najib should also condemn Hamas for their rocket attacks into Israel. One can't try to be a champion without also being fair, otherwise one loses credibility.