WHAT WILL THE TOK GURU SAY NOW?

WHAT Pas president Hadi Awang said today was no longer news because he had said it before some months ago but the news would be the reaction from the party's spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

When Hadi first spoke about it, Nik Aziz made clear that he was not in favour of the unity government proposal from Hadi. Nik Aziz has since repeated his position a few times, alluding especially to what he said was the "foul play" by Umno during the time of Asri Muda's presidency which eventually resulted in Pas leaving the ruling coalition. Along the way Nik Aziz also made known publicly that he considered himself as the numero uno in Pas, which I don't think many people agree with, much as they respect him as a tok guru.

But Hadi's statement this time is different because unlike the first occasion, he now says that he had discussed this idea with PKR and Dap and only after they agreed did he decide to mention it again at the ongoing Pas general assembly. (The latest is Dap strongman Lim Kit Siang denies the idea was ever brought up to be discussed by the three parties in Pakatan Rakyat.)

Regardless the view of Nik Aziz, the fact is such a government that brings together parties in the opposition with those in the government is easier said than done. They have it in Zimbabwe but the fact remains that power is very much in the hands of main man Robert Mugabe. I honestly can't imagine the workings of a unity government.

If this can be agreed upon eventually what it means is that there won't be any opposition to speak of. Wrong? I don't think so. If everyone agrees to have one, how long will it last? It will? I don't think so and here's why I think it won't work. Let's say that the federal administration is a unity government but the states are as they are -- which means the four under Pakatan remain so. If there is a serious problem between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan say in Selangor, don't you think that will not affect ties at federal? Forget the idealah, it just won't work.

ANOTHER DRAMA, OR IS IT CIRCUS, IN PENANG?
FIRST it was Dap Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng feeling peeved over the position of former Penang No. 2 Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin. It went on for a few days until PKR de facto boss Anwar Ibrahim decided to apologise and Lim accepted it.

Now the PKR people are unhappy over Lim's appointment of civil servant Mokhtar Mohd. Jait as Seberang Prai Municipal Council head. Only one PKR councillor attended the swearing-in ceremony yesterday while eight stayed away. The question of transparency and face was brought up by the PKR side but the Dap seems unwavering in its stand.

It's the same old problem again when parties that have little in common agree to stay together only because that is the only way of making life difficult for Umno and Barisan. Beyond that it is merely a situation of peaceful co-existence, no more. What we have seen since March 8 last year is that while four of the five states under the opposition had a Pakatan government, the lead role was still the party with the most seats. That's Pas in Kedah, Dap in Penang, PKR in Selangor and in Perak again the Dap although their government had a Pas man as mentri besar because of a provision in the state constitution.