The ties that bind the Pakatan Rakyat coalition is slowly losing its grip as the difference in opinion between DAP and PAS is further driving the two parties apart.

As if to react to the call by PAS members during its muktamar held in Ipoh recently, DAP’s secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, during the closing of the party’s national congress held in Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday announced that “it will reject any move to form an Islamic state”.

This is among the challenges faced by Pakatan Rakyat in the midst of it contention to form the government by September 16.

The question is how can the loose coalition claim that they can form the government when they differed in opinion on concept of the government.

While PAS and DAP is facing a fall out on the form of the government, PKR’s de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is facing a tough challenge in the Permatang Pauh by-election. Besides facing the sodomy case, his former tennis partner exposure on him receiving RM60 million from Magnum Corporation has also further causing confusion among his supporters.

“Pakatan Rakyat forming the government is not only a wishful thinking, but also a wild dream,” said an UMNO minister, adding that “however, what’s baffled us is that there are still those who believed in the theory,” he added.

Despite the assurance by Sabah MPs that the crossover claim by Pakatan Rakyat was not true, the Pakatan Rakyat, especially PKR members believed that Anwar will be “crowned” Prime Minister by September 16.

In all honesty the right thing for Anwar to do is to stop dreaming of replacing Abdullah Ahmad Badawi but should concentrate on winning the Permatang Pauh seat while retaining and increasing the majority secured by his wife in the March general election.

This is because winning the seat alone is not enough if Barisan Nasional managed to reduce the majority. - 24/8/2008