From The Malaysian Insider
By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is set to finally put together the framework for a more structured and permanent political structure in the partnership of PAS, PKR and DAP, which will see Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim put in place as chairman of a leadership council.

A “rapid response unit” comprising key members from the three partners will also be set up to counter political attacks with a uniformed message and mitigate the kind of gamesmanship and petty politicking which has seen the alliance rocked to its core in recent weeks.

But any notion of the new leadership council being a quick-fix for the open squabbling which broke out this week is likely to be tempered by the fact that wide ideological differences still exist in the alliance formed soon after last year’s general election.

The problems PR is still facing in Penang and Kedah as well as the Umno-PAS unity government talks suggest a lack of compromise so far between its leaders.

The Malaysian Insider understands that plans for a properly structured leadership council have been tabled to the leaders of the three parties as Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, brought into PKR ostensibly as the man to do this, follows up on plans to formalise the coalition.

In an earlier interview, he had told The Malaysian Insider that he would pursue a structure “that will try and find common positions on delicate issues and strengthen capacity building.”

The current proposal for the council will see Anwar as chairman with a secretary-general given authority to develop central policies which will then require endorsement by members of the council from all three parties.

However, it appears that while there would not be any objection to Anwar’s chairmanship, the office of secretary-general will be a touchy issue for an alliance grappling with the concept of power sharing.

The Rapid Response Unit, on the other hand, will be tasked with being “the first line of defence,” according to Dzulkefly Ahmad, a member of the current informal PR joint secretariat.

The Kuala Selangor MP for PAS told The Malaysian Insider that it would be made up of technocrats “who are always on the ball and able to quickly meet to decide on the next course of action” if issues such as Kedah DAP’s recent pullout of the state government occur.

Provisionally, DAP information chief Tony Pua and PKR strategy director Saifuddin Nasution will join Dzulkefly as unit members.

But some leaders, requesting anonymity, expressed doubts over the effectiveness of these measures.

One said that as the hierarchy within the three political parties did not always translate when it came to government roles, certain mentris besar or chief ministers would not accede if they felt their policies were right.

“If the council or unit decides on something, what is the guarantee that some leaders with strong personalities will follow?” the leader asked.

“We need a proper whip system. Then either you toe the line or you resign,” another suggested.

However, both Pua and Dzulkelfy pointed out that in the end, nothing replaces good governance.

“It is important to rule well and focus on core principles such as delivering on the promises that PR has made,” Pua said.