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In two-party democracies, third parties can sometimes be beneficial for the political system even if they don't win any elections. By putting fresh thinking in public circulation, they at least keep the establishment on its toes. That's why last week's unveiling of the People's Welfare Party, or Kita, is a welcome development for Malaysia.
Continue reading Malaysia's Third Way on the Wall Street Journal.
Do we not also fight dirty whenever we can get away with it? Raja Petra Kamarudin asks of the Opposition's reaction to WikiLeaks cables claiming Anwar Ibrahim walked into sodomy trap knowingly. Read article in full: Why I am a loose cannon.
The "political tsunami" of 2008 feels an age away, says The Economist. Read the article in full on PKR's reputation after party elections & perception as a dynasty-led party.
From the two-part interview with Free Malaysia Today: "I am not obsessed about changing anyone. It is the policies that I am concerned about. As long as Anwar leads Pakatan, the opposition pact will not be able to take over the government." Read it in full.
An exclusive interview with Free Malaysia Today on pursuing an alternative political platform and the sought-after traits for membership: "I'm looking for people who want to labour with me and who value integrity and honesty. I cannot recite poetry and I don't read philosophy but I believe in good old-fashioned values as a basis for a political party. Without it politics becomes whatever is permitted in the context of a particular situation. And I am not that sort of person.” More here.
PKR members, including its higher echelons, have been upset by some of the recent comments. This is part of the journey towards improvement. However, all the gerrymandering and personal slights are counterproductive.... Read the full article by Malaysiakini's Mariam Mokhtar here.
Our politicians have yet to learn that it is intellectual authority that determines personalities, and not vice versa, of course. But I also think that, as members of the public, we could do better to educate ourselves on the structures of political ideology, so I’m going to attempt to do a layman’s introduction on the issue at hand. -- Read the rest of Yong Wei Chong Gabrielle's article, Of PKR and Pigeonholes.