AFTER much talk and grandstanding from the opposition, the budget passed policy stage last week with only 13 members of parliament standing up to ask for a division of assembly vote count. 

As a result, no division vote was called, and the budget passed its first – and some would say biggest – hurdle by voice vote.

Faced with an angry backlash, Pakatan Harapan (PH) back-pedalled and claimed the fight wasn’t over, hinting it was part of a greater strategy.

It was implied that it would be a bad move to reveal the “numbers” too early in the game, and that the committee stage, which was coming up, was where the real action would be. 

True enough, Anwar led the charge to grill the Prime Minister’s Department, the first ministry to come under the magnifying glass. After a spirited debate, however, the spending plan was passed at committee stage with 10 votes to spare. 

This begs the question, do PH “strategists” communicate their plan to their side? Does the coalition still exist, and if yes, what is its present form? 

Conspicuously missing from the vote were eight Warisan MPs.   

So is Warisan even still part of the greater PH alliance?  

And are the other fringe parties – Pejuang, PSB, Muda – a part of it? 

This needs to be sorted out, and soon. 

From the get-go, the ruling coalition has proved to be an uneasy alliance, After 10 months in government, it is still struggling to find its footing as Muafakat Nasional, Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional have yet to sort out their overlaps and conflicts. It is desperate to do so before the next elections, which quite a few in that political aisle seem eager for.

The cracks are real and not easily patched. Even in matters of policy, Perikatan Nasional has been unable to advance the causes that were its raisons d’etre – justice for firefighter Adib, Islamic law, hudud and qisas in Terengganu and Kelantan, and alcohol ban, to name but a few.

On leadership succession too, there is no clear plan. While Bersatu presently leads, Umno looks to be moving to claim a bigger role for itself; nor has Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s party agreed to let Muhyiddin Yassin’s lead beyond the next general election. 

Even something as fundamental as the budget saw multiple pledges of confidence in the prime minister, culminating in a written commitment of support by members of his cabinet – a first in this country and maybe the world, at least the parts of it that have inherited the British Westminster system!  

Sadly, a weak and fragmented opposition leadership, be it of Pakatan Harapan or otherwise, has been unable to take advantage of any of this. 

If it is beyond the power of its leader to reclaim the people’s mandate, no matter how close it appears to be within grasp, perhaps it is time to either let someone else lead the charge, or to give up on the idea for the time being. 

There is no shortage of young talent beyond the present PH leader.

Within PKR there are strong candidates, and Amanah too offers a few. Saifuddin Nasution and Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad are strong candidates respected within their coalition and able to reach across the political divide, especially in the current uncertain political equation. 

The majority of people might not have voted for this government, but less still did they vote for their representatives to fail them repeatedly in representing their legitimate interests, especially galling amid all the big talk of their having the numbers to overthrow the government

Talk is cheap unless it is backed by action, something lacking sorely from the PH front of late. The needs of the people should be paramount and well above personal politics and petty agendas. – December 2, 2020.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.