Wanted: a new spirit of bipartisanship to forge consensus

PKR MP Wangsa Maju Terence Netto Zahir Hassan suggests that a spirit of bipartisanship is needed to avoid the fragmentation of the reformasi movement into multiple political parties, each following the instincts of its restless initiator. Despite claiming friendship with opposition leader Rafizi Ramli, Zahir does not intend to leave PKR for Bersama, the new political party attracting PKR dissidents.

The creation of Bersama has not slowed the fragmentation of reformasi, as seen with the rise of Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) led by Larry Sng. PBM gained energy after Bersama's launch, with former DAP stalwart Ronnie Liu energising the party and lawyer and social activist Siti Kassim joining it. This trend of new parties and contestations for Putrajaya and prime minister continues, with individuals like Shamsul Saad and Syed Akhbar Ali declaring their intentions to stand for election and even become prime minister.

The presence of multiple parties and potential leadership transitions, such as Anwar Ibrahim's departure at 79, indicates a need for maturity and a spirit of bipartisanship among reformists to avoid the consolidation of power by Islamic PAS and right-wing Umno.