The political theatre surrounding the takeover of Penang-based Parti Bersama Malaysia by Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad on May 17 has been marketed as a strategic Third Force.
Intuitively, however, this does not feel like a visionary leap for national reform. Instead, it appears to be a destabilising move triggered by emotion. It resembles internal frustrations that should have remained within the family, or party, but have now spilled into the public arena.
I know the architects of this movement well. As a former cadre in the Bina Semula Negara and Ayuh Malaysia campaigns, I witnessed the evolution of big data analysis through tools such as Cista.
Not long ago, initiatives like Pop16 and Kemas25 represented a hopeful future within PKR, conceptually similar to the Padu initiative under the current Malaysia Madani government.
The recent PKR party elections were a watershed moment, but for all the wrong reasons. While some were preoccupied with whether the results had been rigged, I was more troubled by the political culture it appeared to normalise.
We saw character assassination and public humiliation weaponised as political tools – tactics that I, personally, was subjected to.
That internal friction has now birthed a movement carrying the unmistakable DNA of the Sheraton Move. It thrives on the euphoria of sudden withdrawals while claiming to carry the torch of genuine reform.
We have seen this script before, and it often ends with the destabilisation of the very government the people voted for.
This issue hits close to home for me. As a voter in Ampang, Selangor and a resident of Wangsa Maju in Kuala Lumpur, seeing both local MPs attend the launch of a rival party while still occupying their current seats is deeply troubling.
Whether the duo are able to find legal loopholes to circumvent anti-hopping provisions is irrelevant to the spirit of the mandate.
Parliament is not a playground, nor should elected representatives treat their seats like temporary hotel rooms while shopping for a better deal. It is a betrayal of every voter who marked a box for a specific platform, not a personal brand.
Be as critical as you want of the Prime Minister, but do not forget your accountability to the rakyat. You cannot neglect your community because you are chasing political relevance or power.
There will likely be a wave of podcasts and ceramahs in PKR strongholds to justify this shift, but while politicians chase positions, it is the community’s stability that is truly at stake.
There is, however, a stark contrast in honour here. Rafizi and Nik Nazmi vacated their seats and returned the mandate to the people.
While I disagree with their current trajectory, I respect the fact that they acted on principle. I cannot say the same for those clinging to an MP’s allowance while flirting with a rival party. That is not reform – it is opportunism.
When it comes to governance, the late Lee Kuan Yew famously reminded us: “This is not a game of cards. This is your life and mine.”
Governance is not a hobby. The manoeuvres of elected representatives affect jobs, the economy and the future of our children. What happens in the Vegas of political manoeuvring eventually follows the rest of us home.
We need leaders with backbone, not those who treat the people’s trust as a safety net for their own political survival. If your heart is no longer in it, then leave.
I have been serving on the Bersamamu Wangsa Maju platform long before the word Bersama became a political buzzword on May 17.
I write this as a concerned citizen who still believes in institutional reform.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not represent that of Twentytwo13.
