The missing Pakatan MPs: Where were you when you were needed the most?

They are experts at galvanising public support and forming opinions about policies and the government of the day. They also have a penchant of taking their cause to the streets. But when it came to the crunch, in the wee hours of Tuesday, the opposition block as a whole failed the electorate who gave them 52% of the popular vote in the last general election.

Individually the 28 Pakatan Rakyat (PR) MPs who were absent from the Dewan Rakyat to oppose the passing of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota) must be made to account for their whereabouts.

Were they asleep? What other pressing matters could they be attending to at 2.30am?

With only 79 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs turning up to vote, the 60 PR MPs who were present could have frustrated the passing of the bill had they showed up in full force.

Even with the expulsion of Bandar Tun Razak MP Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and the incarceration of opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who represents Permatang Pauh, PR has 88 MPs in Parliament.

Despite a 14-hour debate and with compelling arguments not to pass it, at the end of the day in the Dewan Rakyat it is the numbers game.

The respective party leadership must answer for this grave let-down. After all the Pota is potentially fatal to one’s liberty – an issue close to the heart of PR who have had many of their MPs and assemblymen picked up for sedition and illegal assembly in recent weeks.

Make no mistake, PR cannot claim ownership to freedom of speech, personal liberty and the right to peaceful assembly as these are matters that are also close to the heart of many Malaysians – Malaysians who ticked the box next to the eye, moon or rocket symbol.

But since then it has proven in more ways than one that political expediency and individual party objectives outweigh the hopes and aspirations of the support of the people whose votes they had sought almost two years ago.

From disposing of the promise to hire more professionals and members of civil society into local councils, to the Kajang move and the fall out over the implementation of hudud, many "Yang Berhormats" individually and collectively seem to have a tough time living up to some of their election promises.

It is becoming more of the norm than an exception to hear the words “dua-dua pun tak boleh pakai” (both are useless) when asked about one’s opinion of the two political divides.

With a ruling government that has discarded its own promise to the people for a more liberal environment to voice opinions and assemble, a police force that has of late taken it upon itself to define (confusingly) what is free speech and what is seditious, it is now more necessary than ever to have a strong opposition in Parliament.

And this is where many opposition politicians have failed to step up to the plate to “membela nasib rakyat” (defend the people’s welfare).

As of writing this, amendments to further strengthen the Sedition Act is being pushed through. The amendments if successful will push the country back 30 years which is not good news especially since we already seem to be backtracking to a dark past when fear ruled thought and speech.

This is why those who are relied upon to put a stop to the regression of our freedoms must hang their heads in shame if they are unable to perform the most basic act of a people’s rep – showing up when it matters the most. – TMI