SHAH ALAM - Pakatan Rakyat's top leaders, meeting at their inaugural convention here Saturday, made reference to Sabah and Sarawak, promising to resolve issues on oil royalties and sorting out problems faced by natives.
Also on their agenda was a proposal for a royal commission to overcome the outstanding illegal immigrants issue and their road map to capture Putrajaya.
Thorny issues among the parties were thrashed out, including a compromise on local government elections which is now rebranded as "strengthening local democracy".
PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim said the convention marked a "new dawn" for the opposition coalition, saying it is now more united and ready to face the obstacles as a single political force.
However, Anwar reminded parties in the Pakatan pact not to rest on their laurels after the March 8 2008 elections success.
"We must repent. We did not win because our machinery is strong. We are in the Dewan Rakyat and controlling four states because the voters gave us their trust," he told the 1,500 delegates at the Shah Alam City Council auditorium.
"The voters are trying us, testing us, let us not betray them," he added.
DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said the the compromise on local council elections - to replace it with the concept of strengthening local government democracy - DAP's commitment to the coalition.
Agree now, disagree later
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the opposition pact must focus on their common stand.
"Priority should be on matters that we have agreed to. Disagreements can be addressed later," he said, adding, that the convention is about charting the road to victory.
Among the proposals deliberated concerned a "comprehensive mechanism" to resolve cases where there is an overlap of civil and syariah law.
A royal commission was proposed to "deeply study" issues related to this.
The convention also resolved to ensure full independence and transparency of the Judicial Appointment Commission to restore public confidence in the judicial system.
Proposed reforms
Reforms proposed included making major government institutions, like the Election Commission, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) and Petronas directly accountable to Parliament.
Also proposed was making Parliament the approving body for the appointment of important government posts such as the inspector general of police, attorney-general, MACC commissioner and auditor-general.
On the economy, Pakatan aims to decentralise the state economic management, which the policy document said will boost efficiency, productivity and balanced geographical development.
This proposal involves distributing economic and administrative power and the implementation of infrastructure work back to the state government.
Among the various reforms the pact hopes to implement touch on healthcare, greater freedom in the media, a minimum wage structure and promoting Bahasa Malaysia while protecting mother tongue languages.
20/12/09
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