Kuala Lampur, July 23 -- The Malaysian Chinese electorate has, for decades, shown that it is capable of engaging with coalition politics in a pragmatic manner.

History demonstrates that Malaysian Chinese voters have worked with the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) as a founding component of Barisan Nasional and, before that, the Alliance.

They have also, at different moments, accepted political arrangements involving PAS under leaders such as the late Fadzil Noor and Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

In other words, cooperation with PAS as a political party has never been the central issue.

The more difficult question today is whether cooperation with a PAS led by Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang is viewed in the same way.

That distinction ma...