from left: Kit Siang, Anwar and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Nov 2008: The Pakatan Rakyat leaders and elected representatives are forming a special committee to resolve issues and counter propaganda from the Barisan Nasional (BN).
The representatives from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), DAP and PAS also plan to meet every Tuesday to talk about inter-party matters.
DAP’s Member of Parliament (MP) for Klang Charles Santiago said the weekly meeting would ensure that every party within the coalition has an equal chance of voicing their concerns.
He added that the weekly meeting was also to build solidarity and strengthen their joined agenda.
“This is so that no one party dominates an agenda in Pakatan Rakyat, as opposed to what Umno is doing in Barisan,” he told The Nut Graph in a telephone interview.
He also said that there were proposals for such weekly meetings to be held in every opposition-led state.
Santiago was one of the elected representatives who attended the first Pakatan Rakyat’s weekly meeting yesterday evening.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang were also present.
On the special committee, Santiago said the committee is meant to overcome any “crisis”.
“For example, the new committee will counter issues such as when Barisan Nasional says Pakatan Rakyat is anti-Malay,” he said.
Santiago added that there were also suggestions to set up more parliamentary caucuses as they currently have caucus on judiciary and labour.
Another MP, who did not want to be named, said the special committee would make a common stand on various matters to show the unity of Pakatan Rakyat.
“We need to get our act together to tell the rakyat that this (Pakatan Rakyat) is not a marriage of convenience and we are serious about what we do,” he said. 
