The diagnosis is right but the prescription is suspect

Perhaps the promulgation of the New Politics manifesto is the PAD's tactical move to keep its seven-week rally alive. If the protest is to be sustained, a new purpose has to be found. The original objective of the protest to rid the country of "Thaksinmonics" and oust the Samak government is getting stale. Even if those two aims were achievable in the short run, the PAD's leadership is apparently searching for a "visionary solution" of which they can play a part - and a crucial part at that.        

The protest leaders must have come to the conclusion, in one of their long-term-plan brainstorming sessions, that even if they can pressure the Samak government out of office, the new administration would still be under the influence of the People Power Party. And if a new election is to be held, Thaksin and his group would make it back, perhaps even in greater number.

That, to the PAD leaders, is the curse of electoral democracy, money and dark influences. Another Cabinet reshuffle or another government under the current set-up, or a new election, would only perpetuate the ongoing vicious cycle.

 An "alternative brand of democratic politics" must be found, they argue, so that true participatory democracy can take place. Elections don't provide all the answers because, in the words of Chamlong Srimuang, one of the PAD's chiefs: "Parliament has not been able to solve the country's problems at all."

The PAD's New Politics calls for the majority of the people's representatives in the House to be "selected" from all groups in society. Elected MPs would still be there, but would form a smaller percentage.

Sondhi Limthonkul, the other PAD core leader, proposed a 70:30 ratio between selected representatives and elected MPs. But when the suggestion came under severe attack, he took a step back.

"The ratio isn't important. It could be 70:30 or 60:40. But the critical idea is for the country to get a system which is not dominated, controlled and influenced by all those corrupt politicians who are good only at buying votes in order to gain power and rob the country," he said.

That such an idea is highly controversial should not come as a surprise. The status quo suddenly feels shaken - not because the proposal will stand a good chance of winning general public approval - but because the rhetoric will further erode the public's faith in the current electoral system.

 Academics have been quick to point out that it would be a "step backwards". Career politicians, especially those within the government, immediately branded the concept as "dangerous" and even "an act of treason".

In fact, a government spokesman went so far as to suggest that a charge will be lodged with police to have the PAD's core members arrested for subverting the democratic principles of the constitution.

For all practical purposes, the New Politics theory will be a non-starter from the outset. 

For one thing, to put selection of people's representatives over election of MPs will inevitably dampen any chance of the suggestion being raised in most public forums.

The suspicion that the PAD's "hidden agenda" includes propelling itself into a powerful position in the new scheme of things would render the concept stillborn.

What's worse, when one of PAD's leaders said that under the new formula the military establishment would be accorded "special status" by which it could seize power under certain "critically important conditions", he was inadvertently nipping the plan in the bud.

But the exercise won't be totally futile. By floating the New Politics idea, the PAD's leadership is stimulating the public into seriously looking at the prevailing political system - which is plagued with malaise.

The controversial blueprint to embark on an era of  New Politics that will embrace all of society instead of  the "Old Politics" that caters only to political gangsters and electioneers will renew the badly-needed debate on political reform instead of paying lip service to improvement of the political scene.

The PAD's diagnosis of the country's political ailments is on the spot. But its proposed prescription is suspect.

But not all hope is lost. If this contentious blueprint serves to jump-start a debate on a roadmap for the country's  renewed political journey - in the right direction- the protestors will have done a great service to the nation.

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