‘Not too late to have straight fights with BN’

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Sarawak DecidesKUCHING: A member of PKR political bureau Datuk Dr Mansor Othman believes it is still not too late for straight fights between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Sarawak state election.

Mansor, in noting that PKR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called on DAP and PKR not to give up on negotiating, said the PH coalition partners still had a chance before the election day to fulfill the people’s expectations of the coalition to present one-to-one fights against BN.

“We have always been ready to give diplomacy a chance, and we stand ready to give it a second chance, with the spirit of fair compromise, give-and-take for a higher cause: state and national reform. Are our coalition partners willing to do the same?” he asked in a press statement yesterday.

Mansor described the failure of DAP and PKR to resolve seat disputes ahead of nomination day was immensely regrettable, as was the blame game that had ensued, adding that the blame must be shared as both parties had failed to negotiate an agreement acceptable to both sides.

“It is not a setback for just DAP or just PKR, it is a setback for both parties, for Pakatan Harapan (PH), and for the Malaysian people who support us.”

However, he said PH coalition members should not let this single failure stand in the way of future successes, adding that for the future to be clear, and for partners to stand on even ground, they must set the past straight.

On the ‘signing’ of the note on seat allocation between PKR and DAP, Mansor said after the meeting with Lim Guan Eng on April 7, Lim suggested that PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar signed on a hand-written note with a list of seats, but both were opposed to signing the note.

“Guan Eng kept persuading them and in the end, only Azmin agreed to sign, but only in principle with the understanding that it was not a final decision.

“The understanding between Guan Eng, Azmin and Nurul was that the meeting was not conclusive because they would continue to negotiate even after signing the note, and even until just before nomination day if necessary.”

He said the PH Presidential Council held a meeting on April 11 after PKR and DAP failed to reach a consensus on five seats, but agreed to resolve it in the next round of negotiations and to work towards one-to-one contests with BN.

Hence, he said in the Presidential Council, it was announced that PKR and DAP had reached a consensus on one-to-one contests, adding that when the Amanah representative asked which seats had been resolved, Lim said there was no need to present it there as PKR and DAP would resolve it independently.

“DAP thus implied that negotiations were still on. PKR and DAP were to continue negotiating even after April 11. It is clear in Clause 5.5 of Pakatan Harapan Agreement: ‘The final decision of which party shall represent Pakatan Harapan in any election of any level shall be made by the Presidential Council and each party shall not announce its decision to contest in any seat at any level without the prior approval of the Presidential Council.’”

As to the mandate on ‘Watikah’ (appointment) of candidates, Mansor said PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail gave the mandate in writing to Azmin on April 22 to honour state autonomy and give a mandate to state chairman Baru Bian to resolve all matters, such as seat negotiation and decision on candidates.

“Baru Bian on 22 April announced only 35 seats instead of 42 seats because five seats were still in negotiation with DAP while two were yet to finalise the candidates. This showed PKR were still hopeful that DAP would continue to negotiate and avoid 3-cornered fights.”

On PKR’s decision on three-cornered fights, he said the last PKR political bureau meeting decided to give highest priority to seat negotiations, but the party was ready to enter three-cornered fights if the negotiations failed.

“Azmin kept engaging with Guan Eng and proposed to resolve the five seats (three seats under PKR and two seats under DAP) to avoid a three-cornered fight. But Guan Eng refused to consider any amicable resolution to avoid a three-cornered fight.”

In describing the failure of negotiations between PKR and DAP as regrettable, as are the arguments after that, Mansor said both parties must come together now and face the true threat to Malaysia’s future, Barisan Nasional.

“Sarawak Nomination 2016 is a lesson that we must redouble our efforts to work together to serve the people.”