The Defector and Religious Conviction

In these times, it is always tricky and it needs some degree of astuteness to observe religious rulings in certain simple matters and in some encounters. The universal handshake is quite challenging for Muslims who hold strong convictions concerning the prohibitive injunction on the direct touching or contact of a non-muhrim's hand without just cause. For instance, the Iranian diplomatic staff after their 1979 Revolution put up posters reminding guests to their embassies of such prohibition in a polite and subtle manner so as to assure visitors that their staff had no intention to offend but were simply observing Islamic rulings. In the early days of Reformasi when Dr Wan Azizah or affectionately known as Kak Wan launched ADIL as an organized movement and as she went about touring the country, she was usually spotted with a shawl over her shoulders. The shawl was used to fulfil the ruling but without offending well wishers and supporters who came from all walks of life to shake hands with such a wonderful person. Later on, she wore a glove. This is similar to the one worn by Tabung Haji desk officers in handling customers when they come into contact who are non-muhrim.

Why then did such a simple gesture done to observe a religious ruling by Dr Wan Azizah is being mocked by the one and only political gung-ho defector MP representing Kulim Bandar Bharu is anyone's guess. It seems that among the common traits of defectors are to attack and vilify those who once ago were held in their high esteem and confidence. Investigating further, there is the attempt to ridicule and deride the high regard morally that the public has consistently had with Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Wan Azizah and her family. We can observe and record these attacks from the speeches and statements that come from various defectors as if they were set pre-conditions of their rehabilitation to get back into the governing regime. Defectors look for her vulnerability to take cowardly pot shots to swipe and stain her family name while sometimes stopping short to show that as if they still cared. How pathetic.

Dr Wan Azizah and family have been through this over and over again. We pray and hope that they shall persevere and remain strong. They are the symbol of a decent and upright family somehow caught in a strong test of faith and will. We are demanding such high moral standards from them without even being in their shoes and thus lose sense of the reality that sinks in that makes certain people run cowering for their lives to defect. Can anyone imagine how is was for an eye doctor who became a housewife albeit a very important one to come to lead such a new fledgling rainbow political party while at the same time caring for her incarcerated husband and taking care of the whole family. Just consider the challenges going to parliament after the disastrous 2004 elections, being the sole KeAdilan MP amidst the stares, the vilification, the slurs and the innuendos of hostile ruling MPs'. Women's rights groups simply ignored her plight being more concerned about assailing anything non-secular and religious.

We shall relate an incident observed by my other half during the heated and intense nomination day of the November 1999 elections at Tengku Bainon Educational College nomination centre for the Permatang Pauh seat. Dr Wan Azizah's candidacy was up against Dr Ibrahim Saad, a close family friend and Anwar Ibrahim's former political colleague and loyalist. My significant other was with one of Dr Wan Azizah's daughter engaging in conversation. Then, a voice, a lady called out gently to the daughter and asked her (called herself auntie) to fetch a cup of cold drinks. The daughter dutifully went to deliver the drink to the lady. My other half enquired, "Who was that?". The daughter replied, "O, that is Auntie Zainab, the wife of Dr Ibrahim Saad". When asked further, she said they as a family had no grievances against them and still regarded them as friends of the family. She could say that even when their father was taken away from them, slandered, beaten up and jailed, and their mother was for the first time facing a political tussle with an erstwhile family friend who had turned on them.

Indeed, this was a truly noble family and they bore no vindictiveness.

Whatever the Kulim MP might say, he has left something invaluable behind for some illusive and misleading pot of gold.

The Man behind Penanti

The Man behind Penanti

All the king’s men and all the king’s horses couldn’t save Humpty Dumpty from falling down. Kak Min got massive media coverage and precious national air time like no other political personality but Penanti trounced her good. She got a mere over 300 votes from a nationwide campaign and TV losing her deposit as expected.

As Saifudin Nasution predicted and stated sarcastically, that at the moment things are not going well at all for BN because whatever good they do, the rakyat is suspicious and doubtful, whereas anything negative about BN is accepted without qualms.

The bye elections were boring and tiresome for some officials to easily doze off while unprecedentedly BN itself shied away knowing they stood no chance.

Any way she lost to a better opponent who had struggled through thick and thin with Anwar Ibrahim, sharing his ideals of reform even when he was still in government.

Dr Mansor Othman contested and lost 3 times with the last on 8^th of April 2008 being defeated by a mere 300 vote margin. Ustaz Makhtar Shafie, the ADUN for Sg Bakap was luckier by winning at his third try by defeating the incumbent Deputy Chief Minister. Ustaz Makhtar is also respected for being consistent and loyal in clinging to PKR’s uphill struggle after the heavy losses suffered in 2004. Not many could endure the pain of defeat, the sense of hopelessness and being in a never ending political wilderness.

Dr Mansor left a comfortable job as an associate professor and head of department in USM to join ADIL, the fledgling PKN and the emerging PKR. It was a sacrifice not many would undertake considering the economic difficulties, hardship and sure harassment he endured. He would be seen taking a bus from Penang to attend meetings in KL. He was met with al marhum Sheikh Azmi who also took an ordinary passenger bus to attend a high level Parti KeAdilan event. Once Saifudin Nasution was picked up by friends alighting the bus at a toll plaza beside the North South Highway on his way to a ceramah.

Dr Mansor, it is said that he even had to delve into direct selling using car boot sales to make ends meet. An unfortunate defector from Negeri Sembilan was reported as selling lingzhis herbs from the boot of his car to make a living. On stage, these KeAdilan activists growled and expounded the ideals like glorious tigers. In life however, reality bites. Others simply had to fold up and lick their own spittle to become humiliated BN lackeys like many young PKR defectors. These harsh times and the persistent pressure and harassment from the authorities would make anyone crawl back to grovel at BN’s feet.

But not Dr Mansor. His persistence and fortitude paid off, he has finally won his day, and inshallah it is hoped that he shall make a good DCM and deliver to the rakyat.

(below is Dr Mansor’s brief biodata, source: Malaysiakini)

Mansor, a former professor from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), was Anwar's political secretary from 1996 to 1998when the parliamentary Opposition Leader was the deputy prime minister in the Barisan Nasional government. He earned a Masters degree in social science from USM, and a Masters in Arts and a Masters in Philosophy from Yale University. Mansor, the PKR Balik Pulau division chief, is married to a housewife and has three sons.He has served in PKR's supreme council for 10 years and is currently the party national election machinery deputy director. Mansor is a highly-respected figure within PKR circle and seen as a politically strong and untainted character who could not be bullied by rivals.