My forecast that Pakatan Rakyat might not be around in two weeks' time seems to have come true and what is left are the funeral rites

 

Speech by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang at the dumpling festival ceramah at Gelang Patah on Saturday 6^th June 2015 at 2pm:

A fortnight ago, I gave my most pessimistic forecast that in two weeks' time, there may not be a Pakatan Rakyat left.

It would appear that my worst-scene forecast for Pakatan Rakyat has come to pass and all that is left are the funeral rites.

Today, the PAS 61^st annual congress passed a motion to sever ties with the DAP and yet remain in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) without debate.

With this PAS Muktamar motion, Malaysian politics has entered into unchartered waters with immediate consequences.

In Penang for instance, the PAS Muktamar motion will make it impossible for PAS representatives to continue at the various levels of Penang State Government.

In Selangor, the worst scenario will include a Selangor state general elections.

It is very difficult to foretell how political developments will develop in the near future, but whether there is Pakatan Rakyat or not, Malaysians must remain constant, consistent and loyal to the the goals for justice, freedom and human dignity that they aspired and voted for in the 13^th General Election when they united for the first electoral change in the seat of federal power in the nation's history.

This is why I came to contest in Gelang Patah parliamentary seat – in pursuit of the Malaysian Dream where Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, unite to make a great nation of Malaysia, through political, socio-economic, educational and nation-building reforms.

The Battle of Gelang Patah in the 13^th general elections two years ago was not for one parliamentary seat, but to rally the people of Gelang Patah to spearhead a political whirlwind in Johore and Malaysia to bring about political change in Malaysia.

Pakatan Rakyat succeeded in winning 53% of the electoral vote but because of undemocratic gerrymandering, PR was denied the majority of the parliamentary seats and federal power in Putrajaya.

Otherwise, the Prime Minister today is not Najib but Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who would be presiding over an agenda of Ketuanan Rakyat instead of being incarcerated in Sungai Buloh Prison.

What has happened is undoubtledly a victory for the UMNO strategists and plotters in their conspiracy to divide and destroy PR with the twin lure of UG government between UMNO and PAS and the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.

Now that Najib has succeeded in seeing the destruction of PR, he will not deliver as far as parliamentary approval for the PAS private member's motion on the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.

In fact, the motion is not even on the parliamentary order paper when Parliament reconvenes on Monday.

Najib is facing a life-and-death political struggle and he cannot alienate the 48 Barisan Nasional MPs in Sabah and Sarawak without whose support he will not be able to continue as Prime Minister.

Najib knows that he will lose the support of the 48 BN MPs in Sabah and Sarawak if UMNO gives parliamentary support to the PAS private member's motion on hudud implementation in Kelantan. In fact, Malaysia may even disintegrate as Sabah and Sarawak will feel that fundamental undertakings in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 are not being honoured.

It is simple logic what will dictate Najib's choice between the 21 PAS MPs or the 48 BN MPs in Sabah and Sarawak.

Whether there is Pakatan Rakyat or not, the Malaysian Dream must go on. Those who support the Malaysian Dream, of an inclusive vision of Malaysia belonging to all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, who can come together in a common national endeavour to build an united, harmonious, free, just, democratic and strong Malaysia which can take its rightful place in the international arena, must continue to slog on.

The Malaysian Dream envisions a clean and incorruptible Malaysia – and the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal epitomises what is wrong with Malaysia which continues to be governed by a decadent UMNO/BN government.

The pursuit of the Malaysian Dream must continue, whether there is a PR or not, as we owe to future generations of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, to build a better future for them.

Lim Kit Siang