SAPP, AAB and Anwar

In Malaysiakini Pak Lah sapped out columnists Ong Kian Ming and Oon Yeoh talked about AAB being out of touch with reality, despite all warning signs about dissatisfied Sabahan MPs and Ku Li’s early hint on a BN component party about to defect, thus being caught flatfooted by the SAPP proclaimed intention to pass a vote of no confidence in him as PM.

Ong and Oon wrote: “Abdullah's reaction to this move was akin to a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He seemed totally unprepared for this possibility even though such a move had been widely speculated and talked about and even hinted at by Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah."

"His expression of total surprise as conveyed to the press is yet another indication that Abdullah is so out of touch with the political realities of the day. One can't help but wonder if he continues to be delusional in regard to the notion of him staying the full term as PM.”

Maybe Ong and Oon know much about AAB, but I on the other hand have always felt AAB has been deliberately ‘acting dunno’ (berpura pura bodeh) when the man is actually as sly as Sang Musang.

Personally, I would caution against Underestimating AAB, where I wrote in my last month’s post:

… I reckon Ong and Onn in their analysis have used only western logic but failed to consider the important Malay factor. AAB is a man steeped in Malay tradition. I am inclined to think he’s the consummate Malay politician, quiet, courteous, and at times a wee condescending but a master of 'palace intrigues'.

I wonder whether he's the type who will stick a keris into your side while reciting a pantun, something along this line:

Langit dah gelap, cuaca pun marah,
Angin bertiup kuat dan ganggu abu
Jangan khuatir saudara kalau basah
Bukan kerana hujan, hanya darahmu

Look, so far he has outmanoeuvred each and every one of them - Dr M, Anwar, Ku Li - in the same quiet unobtrusive way that he has achieved what Ku Li, Musa Hitam, Anwar Ibrahim and Najib couldn’t, becoming PM.

Ong and Oon believes the SAPP challenge to AAB would boost Anwar’s prospect of seizing majority rule through the back door by September.

But I noted that Raymond Tan, deputy of SAPP has distanced himself from party president Yong Teck Lee’s little gang of dissatisfied SAPP MPs. The SAPP ADUNs were also noticeably absent from the press conference yesterday.

Raymond Tan admitted he was ‘confused and embarrassed’ by the proposed motion of no-confidence against the PM, saying the party's supreme council had not been consulted. He accused Yong Teck Lee of acting arbitrarily.

Meanwhile Yong revealed that he and Anwar discussed the issue twice in Hong Kong, which of course we all know because of the demand for the strange figure of 20% royalty for fuel taken from Sabah.

It’s also noted that apart from Raymond Tan and the 4 SAPP ADUNs, UPKO and PBS have been conspicuous by their deafening silence on the act of Yong giving the bird to AAB.

And what about those defecting MCA that Anwar Ibrahim on Monday claimed were about to defect to PKR, as reported in Malaysiakini Anwar: MCA MPs will defect to Pakatan.

Anwar had boasted: “I can safely say that several MCA MPs will join us soon.”

Several, not just one!

MCA’s Teng Boon Soon said with sarcasm dripping copiously: "Anwar's claims about crossovers sound to me like trying to predict the weather ... “

"First he said Pakatan Rakyat will take over in March, now he is saying that it will happen in September. Is he sure he will be able to do it in September this year or will it be September 2009?"

Maybe Anwar Ibrahim was talking to the spirits of Tan Cheng Lock, Tan Siew Sin and Richard Ho, as well as Lee San Choon, Tan Koon Swan and Neo Yee Pan?

Even Lim Kit Siang wasn’t as enthusiastically gleeful as Malaysia’s No 1 frog hunter. Ong and Oon wrote: “It's worth noting that Anwar's behind-the-scenes manoeuvring is marked by the differing reactions from other Pakatan leaders.”

“DAP's Lim Kit Siang did not openly endorse Sapp's move nor did he invite them to join Pakatan. Instead, he highlighted the fact that a motion of no confidence would probably not be allowed due to procedural reasons.”

His son, Penang’s CM Lim GE said: “How could one maintain their loyalty to BN while at the same time move a motion of no confidence against the coalition's top leader? It's confusing and unusual.”

“You cannot possibly bulldoze a motion of no confidence in Parliament without submitting a notice. Even then it must be allowed by the House speaker.”

Compare their proper prudent pronouncements of due democratic diligence with the frog hunter’s “…I am happy with these early actions and call upon other friends to act quickly in order to guarantee stable politics …”

“… guarantee stable politics …” did he say?

Now, what did I tell you about lojik deformasi (deformed logic)?