When will Anwar Ibrahim step down?

The bitter recriminations between the parties in Pakatan Rakyat underlined the political crisis when DAP national chairman Karpal Singh calling on Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of being unfit to lead Pakatan Rakyat and demanded the PKR supremo step down.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim

Karpal Singh criticised PKR chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, his DAP boss Lim Kit Siang and even Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for what he deemed as their "inconsistent stand" on party hopping. He claimed that their stance had caused the whole Pakatan Rakyat to be in disarray.

Blaming Anwar, also PKR advisor and de facto leader, for creating trouble in the opposition alliance, he said Pakatan needed a new leader.

“He (Anwar) has created enough trouble and it is time for him to bertaubat (repent). I wonder if he is fit to be the leader of Pakatan Rakyat. In fact I think Pakatan Rakyat requires another leader, a good leader. Not someone who believes in immorality, even accepting crossovers," he said.

“It’s time Pakatan got itself another leader,” he told a press conference at his office here Sunday.

Karpal Singh

Karpal Singh said members of PKR and DAP had fallen sway to the rhetoric of Anwar, who had supported the cross-over of elected representatives.

Karpal also warned his party leaders not to push him too far. "I have been patient all this while. Don't let matters come to a head in the interest of Pakatan Rakyat and also DAP. In fact, I have even proposed that DAP leave Pakatan Rakyat on the issue of hudud law but no one supported me, neither Kit Siang nor Guan Eng. It is a shame and they should also bertaubat (repent)."

Anwar is widely credited with knitting the different parties in Pakatan -- PKR, DAP and PAS -- into the coherent opposition that swept five states from under Barisan Nasional’s feet in the 12th general election last March.

The questions remain: When will Anwar Ibrahim step down and when will the Pakatan Rakyat collapse?