By: TERENCE NETTO
WITH fog-cutting clarity Dr Jeffery Kitingan, an appointed PKR vice-president and strategic director for Sabah and Sarawak, declined to join the race for a vice-presidential slot in the ongoing party polls for reasons he explained in a statement to the press in Kota Kinabalu.
As a piece of cautionary wisdom, the statement deserves to be nailed to the masthead of every campaign by contenders for positions. That and the political maxim of 19th century European statesman Talleyrand: "Above all, not too much zeal"; should do nicely as admonitory tethers on the ardour of contestants.
Acceptance of nominations for posts in PKR closed yesterday, bringing a feverish preamble to its ongoing triennial elections to an end, before competition begins in earnest for the concluding phase next month.
In arguing that the current contest is meaningless because "no one listens to anyone in the Supreme Council and being vice-president makes no difference," Kitingan was stating bald facts. About this, more later.
Also, Kitingan asserted that competition for party positions was a distraction from PKR's pressing priorities which from his particular standpoint, was the struggle for the rights of Sabah and Sarawak.
"My struggle had never been for party posts and positions," explained Kitingan, a trifle implausibly if you view his past record, but just now more credibly, if his withdrawal yesterday and the reasons advanced for it, are factored.
A year ago this month, he reacted adversely to the PKR Leadership Council's (Kitingan errs in calling it 'Supreme Council' when his party is intent on differentiating itself from Umno's SC) ignoring him for the post of Sabah PKR chief, thereby suggesting he had a fixation on his place in the pecking order.
The fallout from that affray - from which Kitingan emerged the nominal head of Sabah and Sarawak PKR - is felt to this day and will affect for sure the vote for the deputy president's post in the ongoing party polls.
Due process
Practically every line of his statement contains an observation that is empirically sound but at the same time he avoids being judgmental by acknowledging what may be termed the 'due process of democratic politics', to borrow from legalese.
As for his claim that no meaning resides in being PKR veep and no actual power resides in the Leadership Council, one merely has to recall what happened at the council's meeting on Sept 5 which decided the fate of the 'PKR Sabah 12' who stood accused of registering Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS).
It was a disheveled meeting held in a period (Ramadan) that's not propitious for argumentative politics. Some attendees swear that the meeting resolved to suspend three and warn nine of the PCS movers. Barely 24 hours later, a press release from party headquarters stated that all 12 were suspended, thus reopening fissures in Sabah PKR extant from before October 2009.
Another episode, not exactly relevant but indicative of where power really resides, had to do with a meeting last Thursday of PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Zaid Ibrahim, Nurul Izzah Anwar and a representative of Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim.
The meeting resolved that Nurul would go for the deputy president's post while Zaid and Khalid would withdraw from the contest. The consensus was to be confirmed by 5pm, the following day.
But when two of the attendees were incommunicado at the appointed time of confirmation, all bets were off and Zaid the following day accepted nominations for the post, Khalid withdrew and Nurul lowered her sights to contending for party veep.
All this detract from the principle of democratic populism PKR seeks to enthrone. But the principle is worthy, even as charade.
(NOTE: Terence Netto has been a journalist for close on four decades. He likes the occupation because it puts him in contact with the eminent without being under the necessity to admire them).
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