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Friday, August 8, 2014

Khalid’s vaulting ambition – Tommy Thomas



The continued refusal by Khalid Ibrahim to tender his resignation as Menteri Besar of Selangor after losing support of his own political party demonstrates ambition and stubbornness to cling on to office at all costs.
Shakespeare warned in Macbeth about the dangers of “vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself”.
Khalid should be reminded of 2 historical parallels: one in Britain in the 1930’s and the other in Malaysia in the 1970’s.
Against the wishes of the Labour Party, MacDonald formed a national government in 1931. He was denounced as a traitor, and expelled from the Labour Party.
His treachery and betrayal has neither been forgotten nor forgiven by the left movement in theUnited Kingdom. Historians rate MacDonald as one of Britain’s worst Prime Ministers.
PAS’s agreement to join the Alliance government in 1972 resulted in power sharing at both the Federal and State levels.
However, intense intrigue between historical rivals led to PAS’s decision to remove its own nominee Mohamed Nasir as Kelantan’s Menteri Besar in 1977 for defying party instructions. PAS’s no-confidence motion was carried in the Kelantan State Assembly.
Receiving UMNO support, Nasir refused to resign, and, instead requested the Sultan for a dissolution of the Assembly.
Emergency was declared by the Federal Government in Kelantan. State elections held in 1978 saw the defeat of PAS, and UMNO formed the State Government until 1990. Nasir is considered a traitor by PAS.
At this time of disinformation and confusion, it must be kept in mind that the entire Selangor crisis has solely been caused by Khalid’s refusal to obey party directions.
Thus, if he had been the Barisan Menteri Besar sitting on a 44-12 seat majority in the Selangor Assembly, would hehave dared to disobey an UMNO order to him to resign? Would a crisis have ensued?
Whatever the outcome of this crisis, Khalid will be treated by posterity as a Ramsay MacDonald and a Mohamed Nasir.
But what is of greater significance is PAS’s fate. PKR and DAP are united in their position to remove Khalid. Whenever elections are held, the electorate will not punish either party
But if PAS refuses to back Khalid’s removal, it will be perceived as PAS not wishing to follow the Pakatan coalition position.
This is particularly in the context of PAS always getting its way in selecting and maintaining its choice of Menteri Besar in Kelantan and Kedah, and yet not wishing to confer the same privilege to PKR.
If historical precedents are guides, PAS will be severely punished, both in Selangor and nationally if it does not support the Khalid removal, and Khalid will disappear into oblivion.
* Tommy Thomas is an advocate and solicitor. TMI

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