Whither or wither Pakatan Rakyat?

Paktan Rakyat reached its collective zenith at the March 2008 general election, when it won four new state governments plus federal territory Kuala Lumpur and retained Kelantan.

But since then the partnership has soured, as its bonds have been tested and found fraying from the edges to the core.

PAS has been at the forefront of much dismay, not for the first time and probably not for the last.

Led by party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, it continues to seek “unity talks” with Barisan Nasional mainstay Umno.

Then at its recent 55th muktamar (assembly), it wanted to retain the 30% bumiputra quota and ban the Sisters in Islam advocacy group.

The latter resolution, tabled by a “party moderate”, was not even debated amid attempts to gag discussion of the unity talks.

Is this the way of discussion, dialogue and democracy?

After Hadi reportedly misled others into thinking the proposed unity talks had been agreed to by its Pakatan partners, it is not even seen as common decency.

Such questionable conduct, even before the party assumes power at federal level, has provoked disquiet among Pakatan ranks, Barisan circles and the general public.

To his credit, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has taken the likes of Hadi to task.

There was a time when even those who disagreed with PAS’ theocratic agenda could respect it for a principled consistency. But no more.

What kind of politics does it offer as a supposed alternative, if not a politics of integrity?

From all indications it is just an enlarged old politics of opportunism-at-any-cost, after the triumph of party ultras at its muktamar.

Malaysian voters as a whole, regardless of their political affiliations and sympathies, deserve a lot better.

When even the party’s spiritual leader has problems reining in these purveyors of a discredited politics, the party must be in dire need of spiritual rehabilitation.

PAS has the largest membership base of all the parties in Pakatan, but not the most Members of Parliament.

Given its utter disregard for its Pakatan partners and everyone else, perhaps this democratic detail does not count for much in its idea of governance.