PKR snatching defeat from jaws of victory in Bukit Selambau?

Malaysiakini - PKR's Kalai quits over by-election snub!

I told a sweetie the other day that I thought PKR may just do the impossible and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in Bukit Selambau - it could pretty well lose to the BN ...

... despite Samy Vellu making an ass of himself and in turn, the BN, by insisting on campaigning for BN when he is actually not wanted by BN campaign managers wakakaka.

The BN campaign people cringed when they see the bewigged Soongnai Seepoot loser down in the state constituency doing his 'Ketupat in Kashmir' - An MGR Extravaganza speciality ;-)

But alas, PKR has failed to capitalise on the BN’s walking disaster, and make mincemeat out of the MIC candidate through his (admittedly reluctant visual) association with Humpty Dumpty who couldn’t even defend his own so-called invincible seat.

And the reason for the failure to capitalise on the MIC joker? As usual, trust Anwar Ibrahim to offend another Kalla.

PKR Jerai division chief B Kalaivanar has left Anwar's party with a huff and a puff, taking along with him some 500 supporters.

Kalai was so pissed off with Anwar’s selection of an unknown parachutist that he bestowed on Anwar what PKR people called Dr Mahathir, namely, the ‘Pharaoh’.

Kalai said: "When Dr Mahathir was prime minister, we used to say he was the Pharaoh but now when we look closely at Anwar, people would realise that he is the Pharoah and dictator.”

"They (PKR) have become ungrateful ... Anwar does not have an ounce of respect for those who have fought for this party."

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Insider reported that a separate group of nearly 400 Indian (former) PKR members have switched support to the BN in protest over Anwar Ibrahim’s personal choice of the candidate for the Bukit Selambau state seat.

It seems dear Anwar likes to nominate candidates himself as was witnessed in his very unusual last minute selection of a virtual unknown, Loh Gwo Burne to be the PKR parliamentary candidate for Kelana Jaya in the last general election.

Loh became a PKR member at the very last minute to be officially nominated as the PKR's candidate, by decree from Anwar Ibrahim!

Hmmm, doesn’t PKR have some kind of selection committee? I guess not because with Anwar Ibrahim as its leader (de facto or otherwise), it’s usually a one-man show and thus unsurprisingly a one-man decision.

But what would be a shame if BN were to win in the Bukit Selambau by-election. The Indian voters should consider carefully how the Home Affairs Minister has treated Uthayakumar with disregard and disrespect – see my earlier post Uthayakumar suffers the evils of ISA

Related:
(1) The Toddy Syndrome
(2) Malaysia's Economic Pariahs?
(3) Hijacking Hindraf H-power?
(4) Hindraf needs to rethink its strategy

Uthayakumar suffers the evils of ISA

Malaysiakini - Uthaya got a beef with his chicken sambal!

F* the by-elections! This is far more disturbing if the Malaysiakini report can be verified.

Based on this report, it would appear that the Home Minister is not only detaining a very ill man under the draconian ISA, …

… a man who also suffers a worsening condition for his painful fractured toe but is still denied his choice of private health treatment, and who isn’t provided with a diet appropriate for his diabetic problems …

… but he (the Minister) has vicariously violated the man’s religious belief.

Uthayakumar is a Hindu who abstains from beef because of his religious belief in the same manner Muslims do not take pork. Yet, according to the Malaysiakini news report, he has been served beef at the Kamunting Detention Camp where he is being held.

Uthaya stated in a report: “I was served chicken sambal with rice. I (saw) what looked like beef pieces in the chicken sambal.”

“When I checked with detainees working in the kitchen, they confirmed that the beef sambal and chicken sambal were cooked in the same pot. (The chicken was) dished out and put on separate tray and served to me.”

Why is there such a disrespect for Uthaya’s religious belief and disregard for his health?

Why are Indians in particular treated so harshly? WTF has the MIC done?

Najib crushed between Dr Mahathir & KJ?

Malaysiakini - KJ's election: Dr M spews venom!

Dr M said: "They chose a leader found guilty of using money and inducements in his bid to become Youth chief. Whether he was allowed to contest or not, it does not negate the fact that he is corrupt. "The punishment meted on this person is inadequate and unfair because others found guilty of a similar offence were barred from contesting."

"There has never been a case where a person known and acknowledged as being corrupt by the disciplinary committee, the party and the public is elected and heralded as a leader. This is what was done by Umno Youth which was once renowned as the front-line force of the Umno struggle."

Yesterday I posted Najib Razak and the victory of KJ where, after questioning the popular belief or PKR propagated myth that Najib and KJ are enemies, I raised further questions as follows:

I also believe Dr Mahathir has been annoyed with Najib for not doing more to support Mukhriz, where his subtle criticisms of Najib in recent times could well be hints for the latter to neutralise or neuter KJ.

But ...

Could it possibly be that Najib has not interfered at all with the election for the new UMNO Youth Chief, because he wasn’t comfy with Mukhriz in that powerful position?

Could it be that Najib doesn’t want a Dr M as a backseat driver to his premiership?

Indeed, could it be that Najib is now not too unhappy with the outcome of that race?

Today, one of my faves at Malaysiakini, Josh Hong wrote in his Youth polls: The morning after... the following:

My abhorrence for Umno is well-known to many, and I make no apologies for that. This is a political institution that shows no respect for human rights, and goes against everything that modern democracy stands for. [...]

Still, I could hardly conceal my glee when Khairy Jamaluddin pulled off the biggest upset by defeating his two powerful rivals in the race for the Umno Youth chief post two days ago, which was clearly a slap in the face for Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The former prime minister must be feeling so miserable that his effort of the past few years to halt Khairy’s meteoric rise has amounted to nothing. [...]

Khairy’s victory is a blessing in disguise. Should Mukhriz have made it and Najib was compelled to include him in the new cabinet, Mahathir would relish in being some kind of a back-seat driver for sure.

It would seem that not only is UMNO Youth today less beholden to the name of Dr Mahathir, but Najib may want to be his own man and is distancing himself from his patron and mentor.

Can he afford to do that?

And let’s not forget that KJ, for all his relatively young age, has shown himself to be a master politician who has outfoxed and outmanoeuvred many in UMNO, and more than surprised the media and political pundits.

Najib Razak and the victory of KJ

Needless to say, the hottest news in town is the SIL.

Khairy Jamaluddin’s victory might have come as a surprise to most people, though I am one of those who weren’t.

Mind you, it hasn’t been due to my incredible take on UMNO politics but more of what I hear Dr Mahathir had to say. If we recall, his son Mukhriz won the most nominations for the post of UMNO Youth Chief, some 600 plus, while KJ only managed a modest figure adequate to see him into the race …

… yet Dr M stated (words to the effect) that meant nothing as it could change during the actual party election. He has now been proven right.

On top of that, he has been consistently against KJ in the lead-up to the UMNO elections, signalling his assessments and concerns for Mukhriz.

My good mate, Ong Kian Ming has also written an erudite piece in Malaysiakini on How Khairy managed the impossible.

Read it ‘coz it tells you quite a lot, far more than some who analysed Mukhriz's loss as due to Khir Toyo splitting the anti-KJ votes. Unlike the case in general elections, in political party elections voters actually vote for the candidates they prefer.

But on one count I have to disagree with Ong, on his paragraphs (relevant extracts only) which, with its section title of ‘Najib fails to kill Khairy off’ said:

What are some of the political implications of Khairy’s improbable victory?

The first and most immediate implication has to do with Najib’s power and influence within Umno. If the ‘signal’ which was sent by Najib was not sufficient to ‘kill off’ Khairy’s chances to become the next Umno Youth chief, one has to wonder ….. […]

Khairy will no doubt play the role of the loyal Youth chief but he will remember what Najib tried to do to him. And when the time comes when Najib’s back is against the wall (and that time will most certainly come) and if it is not politically expedient for Khairy to support Najib, then the daggers will be unsheathed, …..

I think many in Malaysia have come to swallow completely the story promoted by the Malaysia-Today blog that there exists an irreconcilable schism between Najib and KJ ...

... where once there was even a conspiracy of a covert pact between AAB-KJ and Anwar to do Najib in. I too had initially bought this story.

Then there was the RPK’s Statutory Declaration about AAB-KJ having the dirt on Rosmah’s nocturnal expedition to personally witness the blowing up of Altantuyaa Shariibuu. I had mentioned its implausibility more than once, the last being in my recent post The R-A-H-M-A-N prophesy - to be fulfilled or forestalled?

I wrote (relevant extracts):

RPK also revealed in his Stat Dec: “I have knowledge of who has informed me of this matter plus I have knowledge of the Ruler who has been briefed and is aware of the matter but I have agreed that I shall not reveal this information other than mention that the Prime Minister and his son-in-law have been handed a written report confirming what I have revealed.”

This is fantastic, that … AAB and KJ had received a written report about Rosmah’s […]

But WTF then, based on RPK’s declaration, what’s AAB and KJ waiting for?

If AAB has that report, would he have left?

And quite frankly, can anyone give me an example of the so-called enmity or schism between Najib and KJ?

I eventually came to the conclusion, MY conclusion, that the stories have been nothing more than a G.A.N campaign to drive a wedge between AAB-KJ and Najib so that ‘someone’ could exploit any possible chinks.

I also believe Dr Mahathir has been annoyed with Najib for not doing more to support Mukhriz, where his subtle criticisms of Najib in recent times could well be hints for the latter to neutralise or neuter KJ.

But ...

Could it possibly be that Najib has not interfered at all with the election for the new UMNO Youth Chief, because he wasn’t comfy with Mukhriz in that powerful position?

Could it be that Najib doesn’t want a Dr M as a backseat driver to his premiership?

Indeed, could it be that Najib is now not too unhappy with the outcome of that race?

Dog!

Good old Dean Johns. My matey has published another of his hard-hitting yet amusing columns at Malaysiakini.

His two recent articles Simply treemendous! and Old dogs, no new tricks signalled his return to his old style with its witty play of words, which I enjoy enormously.

In the former the tree word was cleverly used, and just when I was working out something in my mind to wrap around his mention of his Druid ancestors and their reverence for the arboreal patriarchs, he has again hit us delightfully, but this time with a mixture of doggy drollery and some snarling and snapping at the BN.

I know he based the article’s title Old dogs, no new tricks on an old saying ‘You can't teach an old dog new tricks’, supposedly by J. Randolph some two centuries ago.

Perhaps the title could be modified slightly to consider, in the case of the BN, that ‘You can't teach an old dog new tricks … only because it doesn’t want to learn’.

Anyway, with his theme on the canine, he had me (thanks Dean matey) barking at Anwar Ibrahim wakakaka … ooops I mean … 'arf 'arf 'arf, as follows (note his doggy theme in yellow highlights):

My blogger pal K Temoc, recalling what a mongrel he thought Anwar was back when in the days when he was Mahathir’s pet, continues to hound us with his opinion that the man remains his old, rabid self, and is in fact just a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Well, I’ll be doggone, though I must confess to a bulldog tenacity in reminding people about Anwar, that while the pooch may be man’s best friend, loyal and with all those doggy traits, Anwar is more cat-like – you work it out what traits cats have ;-)

I wonder whether it has anything to do with the fact that I was born in the year of the Dog? wakakaka or 'arf 'arf 'arf.

Mind you, the anwaristas brigade may not fathom what the Aussie slang ‘mongrel’ means (= a despicable or nasty person), and may take it literally, thus turning that word into a gross insult against a Muslim ;-)

Anyway, Dean continued:

I have to concede to KT that, if Anwar really has changed, then he’s a rare exception to the rule.

What a canine … ooops mea culpa … canny observation. Once an UMNO pollie, always an UMNO-like pollie, which means he’s no different from his erstwhile political colleagues …

… some of whom incidentally has termed the frog hunter as someone’s running dog.

All these mentions of the creature that Muslims consider as ‘dirty’ perhaps may not be good ... gulp ... for me, so let me end with a message from an unknown author:

A man may smile and bid you hail
Yet wish you to the devil;
But when a good dog wags his tail,
You know he's on the level.

And have you ever wonder what you get when you spell ‘dog’ backwards wakakaka.

I leave you with a saying by Konrad Lorenz: There is no faith which has never yet been broken, except that of a truly faithful dog.

The keris of Hishamuddin

Malaysiakini - The end of the road for the keris.

I am glad Hishamuddin has come to his senses, at least on this irritating issue.

While the keris may be part and parcel of Malay history and culture, to draw it and at the same time claim it’s not threatening is nonsense.

Drawing a sword (or keris) to kiss it is NOT a Malay tradition. It’s Western and alien to us Asians, whether Malays, Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, etc.

Officers of the Malaysian military draw and kiss their sword on parade only because our armed services were trained by the British, and continue using the British military drill procedures.

When a Malay or Chinese warrior draws a sword/keris, as the saying goes, the weapon has to ‘drink’ blood, so a Malay or Chinese should not fool around with that action.

Please read my earlier post on historical events associated with the keris - Hishamuddin's keris stabbed UMNO & BN

But let me pick one item from that post for re-publishing here. I had written:

One and a half years ago I posted The Curse of UMNO's Keris? where I mentioned that Adnan Yaakob, an UMNO supreme council member and also the MB of Pahang, had asked for the symbol of the keris to be removed from the UMNO flag.

He said that the keris is a weapon denoting quarrels, and could have been the cause of the numerous quarrels in the party. In other words it’s bad feng shui for UMNO to have such a nasty weapon as a party symbol.

Adnam stated: "There were 20 major quarrels in UMNO since its formation 60 years ago. The symbol may signify the party’s struggles but it also means quarrels."

He reminded us of the acrimonious internal disputes involving the late Tunku Abdul Rahman (with Tun Razak), Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (with Dr Mahathir), and of course Dr Mahathir (with Ku Li, Anwar and AAB).

Maybe we ought to add in Onn Jaafar (with Tunku). Then there were state leaders such as the late Harun Idris, once touted as a PM, who fell foul of Hussein Onn.

The keris in the UMNO flag is drawn, which, according to belief not just unique to the Malay world, must 'taste' blood. Eastern superstition demands that a weapon such as a keris, dagger or sword must never be drawn unless one intends to 'feed' it with blood.

It is believed that the word keris originated from the old Javanese word ngeris which means 'to stab'.

As I had also written: We Malaysians are also familiar with Taming Sari, a Javanese keris with magical powers that would protect its owner …

… though it didn’t save the life of the original eponymous owner, a Javanese warrior who was killed by Hang Tuah through deceit, as was Hang Jebat.

Tuah appropriated the Taming Sari after killing the owner, went back home to Melaka to one day kill his best friend at the behest of a tyrant.

Kill, kill, kill, die, die die … and all dead! That's what a keris or Chinese weapon is supposed to do, 'coz that's what it has been designed for ...

... certainly not for decoration!

In an unhappy ending to the story, Tuah finally threw away the keris … though the Perak royal house claims it still holds the Taming Sari …

… OK, and guess what has just happened to the once-august and highly respected royal house of Perak?

And in the Indonesian legend of Mpu Gandring and the keris for which he cursed Ken Arok for seven generations, someone generations later had to throw that keris away into the Java Sea, to stop the endless chain of chaos and death.

So, will Hisham quietly (like Tuah) throw away a symbol of war, which in Malay/Indonesian folklore and history has been associated with cruelty, death and Greek-like tragedy?

Only he knows.

Nizar in federal politics - unlimited potential

Today Malaysiakini published Perak referendum is on!, with particular reference to the Pakatan Rakyat’s candidate for Bukit Gantang.

He is none other than the very popular Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, MB of Perak.

I believe the significance of his candidature for Bukit Gantang represents far more than just a referendum for Perak.

Without doubt, Nizar is the most popular PAS person among the non-Muslims. He is trusted, admired, liked and supported by them.

If he wins, his projection into federal politics will see him as an important player of the future.

To understand why, let’s consider Pak Haji Hadi Awang’s rather lamentable attitude.

Pak Haji Hadi is a very conservative Muslim who heads the ultra faction in the Islamic Party. But even more than being a Muslim, he is also a Malay nationalist.

His pet dislikes (I wouldn’t go as far as to term them ‘hatred’) are:

(1) non-Malay control of any government, state or federal (other than Penang which he has to be realistic about).

He is the PAS leader most likely to cut a deal with UMNO to ensure state governments (‘federal’ being irrelevant at this post 916 moment wakakaka) remain under the control of Malays.

He is also the person in a post-Pak-Haji-Nik-Aziz era most likely to break up the Pakatan Rakyat.

Pak Haji Nik Aziz hasn’t been too happy with him, and as Malaysiakini reported on last Friday, Nik Aziz tells Hadi: I'm still captain.

The PAS spiritual leader was forced to publicly place a cautionary restraining hand on Pak Haji Hadi Awang’s proclivity towards forming a unity government with the BN (effectively UMNO).

(2) Pak Haji Hadi Awang just can’t bear the thought that in the event of the PR gaining federal rule, Anwar (and PKR) would be the primus inter pares (first among equals).

As far as Pak Haji Hadi Awang is concerned it should be PAS, by virtue of the Islamic Party's impressive political structure and network, and its seniority among the PR members in having experience in running State governments (Kelantan and Terengganu) and having its members as federal Ministers.

He has on several occasions made mention of this, implying a PAS leader (possibly himself) and not Anwar should be the leader of the PR coalition and as a future PM. Undoubtedly an UMNO without its 2/3 majority will be carefully cultivating the goodwill of the ambitious PAS president and appealing to his ethno-nationalist traits.

But if Nizar becomes a federal MP, a man who is trusted, admired and liked by non-Muslims, he could, as a potential PR leader, give Anwar a run for his money, and through that, possibly allay the concerns (but perhaps not ambitions) of Pak Haji Hadi Awang.

Nizar as a potential future PM could satisfy both the PAS rightwing elements as well as the non-Malay parties of the PR, like DAP (I list ‘parties’ as I expect a few more to join PR).

He alone in PAS has the potential and personaity to keep the politically-divergent component members of the PR together as a cohesive group. In this potential he would render Anwar Ibrahim totally irrelevant to the needs of the coalition.

This is important because Anwar has since 916 lost a considerable quantum of his (undeserved) sheen by his unmitigated nonsense on the froggie approach to seizing power, refusal to discipline the thuggish Kulim Wonder, and through the shameful and equally alarming cases of alleged corruption among his PKR politicians.

Nizar, as a potential future PM and a political leader capable of holding PR together without any man man lai bull, has a very attractive appeal to people like kaytee ;-)

Related:
Anwar Ibrahim is dispensable!

Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde of Malaysian politics

Today Malaysiakini published- He's not going to be a 'nice guy', referring to how Najib Razak may behave when he becomes the PM.

James Chin, a political analyst from Kuala Lumpur's Monash University predicts that Najib as PM may institute authoritarian tactics that many have accused Dr Mahathir of doing when the latter was PM for 22 years.

Chin suggested that Najib has to do this out of (UMNO) political necessity, stating: "He has to show he is tough. In Umno, nice guys don't last ... so I'm 100 percent sure he's not going to be a nice guy.”

One of my uncles who served in a branch of the government years ago, told me that one day while he was standing near to a young Najib, who was then the UMNO Youth Chief, he overheard Najib talking informally to a group of BN junior ministers and politicians (comprising Malays, Chinese, Indians) about his jaguh behaviour.

Unc said that Najib was in an apologetic/explanatory manner, stating words to the effect that, "What did they expect? It’s party election time for UMNO Youth" in an effort to clarify his apparently aggressive behaviour in an earlier event.

That seems to dovetail with James Chin’s prediction.

No doubt this Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde characteristic of many UMNO leaders had been, is and will continue to be the politicians' formula for success, namely, playing to the ethnic gallery, whichever that might be at a particular time.

Let's not forget Anwar’s open call, when he was in UMNO, for the Chinese to balik Tiongsun, or threats he would stop the bells in an Indian temple from ringing (to his Indian Muslim audience). The only reason he can't afford to do that now is that he and PKR depend badly on non Malay support.

Khir Toyol used this waving of the ethnic banner in his campaign to be the new boss of UMNO Youth, vocally stating that non-Malays cannot be considered as equal to Malays. Thanks!

And poor Hishamuddin is making a half-hearted keris waving, but this time with the weapon remaining in its sheath wakakaka – he’s trying to shore up his VP aspirations with the right wing elements in his party while attempting to show the non Malay he’s more conscious of, caring and considerate to their fears.

The R-A-H-M-A-N prophesy - to be fulfilled or forestalled?

Malaysiakini Pak Lah to exit on April 2?

Note the question mark ? in the title of Malaysiakini news article!

The current program scheduled by UMNO is that AAB goes to the King on 03 April to say goodbye (as the PM) … have a cup of tea with HM, …

... then on the following day, 4 April 2009, Najib Razak becomes the 6th PM of Malaysia, fulfilling the prophesy about UMNO’s leaders (re-named by kaytee as the UMNO Da Vinci code) ...

... that the first six UMNO leaders (by political tradition and majority power within Perikatan/BN, becoming Malaysian PMs) would have names that would begin with the respective letters in R-A-H-M-A-N, the name of the first PM Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Err… I am sure the second ‘A’ has been and must still be a sakit hati for someone. There but for his impatience, history could have taken a different path.

Last year I wrote in The torment and impatience of Anwar Ibrahim:

His ascendancy would have fulfilled even the legend of UMNO’s Da Vinci code, for surely in R-A-H-M-A-N, the letter ‘A’ would have come after ‘M’.

Yet, as they say, ‘There’s many a slip ‘twixt cup and lip’, and Anwar found that to his invincible distress.

I believe it has been this narrow miss at the highest political office, just by a hair’s breath, that has made the man super-geram, a frustrated anger beyond normal boundaries, even sending him into unbridled rage.

It has been an experience that has tormented him since.

The very thought of Najib Razak becoming PM in just 2 weeks' time has sent steel-tipped spikes of fear into Anwar’s camp as they have committed Anwar to be the arch-enemy of the son of Razak.

Mind you, though we may expect total war between the two camps, with no quarters given, I dare say anything in politics is not impossible …

… because for a start, RAHMAN can also be spelt backwards as N-A-M-H-A-R, which could forecast the following PMs after Najib’s ‘N’ as (sorry, all Melayu – so, Samy, don’t you dare hope wakakaka):

(a) Anwar, (Wan) Azizah or (the return of) Ali Rustam?
(b) Muhyiddin or (God forbid) M2T
(c) Hishamuddin
(d) Etc etc

Possible sooner than you think if poor Najib dies prematurely of, say, heart attack ... what with Jawi-scripted charms and Javanese jambi's.

But wait, maybe Malaysiakini’s question mark could reflect Dr Mahathir’s fear that AAB may well drag his heels.

Though he has mentioned there will be a transfer of power over to Najib, appeals for him to stay on, even from opposition leaders (of course for their own political advantage) may yet persuade him there’s still PM potential in him for another few good years. So, he could well change his mind at the eleventh hour wakakaka.

Certainly Anwar hopes so, PR leaders hope so, KJ hopes so, Ali Rustam hopes so and no doubt even Ku Li hopes so. Mind you, none of them (other than KJ because of blood ties) are exactly fans of AAB. But no doubt they assess that AAB is less troublesome and a less capable political foe than hitherto Mr Zig-Zag.

But what if AAB decides to call it a day as he has promised?

No worries, going through an earlier post of mine, Raja Petra's Statutory Declaration - is it evidence?, where Malaysia’s most famous and most powerful blogger had declared in a sworn statement regarding Altantuyaa’s murder:

"I have been reliably informed that between about 10pm on October 19, 2006 and early hours of the following day, the night Altantuya Shaariibuu was murdered, three other people were also present at the scene of crime."

The 3 ‘other people’ (meaning part from the two policemen currently under trial for murder) were, according to RPK in his Stat Dec and as reported by Malaysiakini, Rosmah Mansor (yes, Najib’s wife), Colonel Aziz Buyong, (an explosive expert in C4), his wife Norhayati (said to be Rosmah’s aide de camp).

To me personally, it’s highly implausible that women would want to turun padang to personally witness the explosive destruction of a corpse …

… which leads me naturally to suspect the theory that if one can’t get Najib himself, then one should try to get him through his wife.

But who am I to contradict RPK ;-)

Then, RPK also revealed in his Stat Dec: “I have knowledge of who has informed me of this matter plus I have knowledge of the Ruler who has been briefed and is aware of the matter but I have agreed that I shall not reveal this information other than mention that the Prime Minister and his son-in-law have been handed a written report confirming what I have revealed.”

This is fantastic, that (forget about the Ruler) AAB and KJ had received a written report about Rosmah’s involvement – though alas, RPK didn’t reveal who had written the report for AAB and KJ. We KPC's (kay poh chnee's - busybodies) are the poorer for that.

But WTF then, based on RPK’s declaration, what’s AAB and KJ waiting for?

Wakakakakakakakaka.

UMNO No 2 race - when it rains it pours!

Malaysiakini has been kept busy with headlines like Ku Li: ROS can stop Umno polls and Tensions rise between No 1, No 2 camps.

Both referred to UMNO’s internal jostling for the No 2 position (and from there to No 1) where favourite Ali Rustam was threatened with charges of money-politics unless he withdrew from the UMNO deputy presidential race.

He had to!

One of the arguments against Ali Rustam has been that he will be a monumental disaster as a future DPM because he is not fluent in English.

It also doesn’t help that Ali Rustam is in AAB’s camp while one of the other candidates, Muhyiddin Yassin, is Najib’s preferred deputy.

The latest gossip is that the frustrated and angry Ali Rustam’s camp will throw their support behind ‘I can’t speak/read English’ Muhammadx2 Taib.

Of the three contenders, I reckon the double-Muhammad will be the Godzilla of all political disasters.

But let's return to Ali of Malacca.

I don’t have any sympathy for Ali Rustam, and neither does Kayveas of PPP wakakaka.

Ali Rustam was the man, who as ‘guest of honour’ at the PPP annual general assembly in Malacca in October 2007, sneeringly told the PPP to get out of Barisan Nasional if the party wishes.

Yes, as PPP's 'guest of honour' at the party's most important annual event!

Ali spat out those tsunamic hurtful words while gesturing rudely at the totally gobsmacked and highly humiliated PPP delegates: “PPP can leave BN. All of you can leave. Either today or tomorrow. Why wait until the general election? What’s there to wait for?”

It was an ugly pooarah (f* off) to Kayveas and his PPP members!

I blogged on the sorry saga in The total humiliation of PPP - a lesson for BN parties.

Ali Rustam had been the man who completely forgot about the traditional etiquette of the Malays to be bersopan-santun (exercising good manners) and berhalus (showing refined behaviour), more so when he was afterall the PPP's guest of honour.

Apart from wondering how those PPP people could have the face (and certainly the thick hide) to swallow that humongous insult and utter humiliation, and remain like dumb-struck donkeys in the BN, we have come to learn that Ali Rustam had not been a nice person at all.

AAB was an equal a$$h*le because it took the chairperson of the BN one whole blooming week to comment on that shameful behaviour by Ali Rustam. Even then, AAB was a disgrace in not reprimanding Ali Rustam.

I blogged on that in PPP a Disgrace - Denied Datukship, Denied Dignity where I wrote (extracts):

… according to Malaysiakini, Mr Slow Motion has finally come out (after an agonizing long and humiliating week for Kayveas and the PPP), no, not to rebuke Ali Rustam for his gross discourtesy as the guest of honour at the PPP Malacca annual assembly (how can, UMNO is never wrong), but to say a wee sweet words at the PPP KL party assembly.

AAB stated: "People don't like to see brothers quarrelling among themselves. They would say the family is not stable. We must always be reasonable and that should be our prime effort. People who fight and oppose us want to see us split.”

My dear PM, the bloke who wanted to see the BN split, by rudely shouting at the PPP to get the hell out of the BN, and mind you, at the PPP Malacca party assembly where he was 'guest of honour', had been none other than the No 1 UMNO man there, Ali Rustam.

Ali Rustam's conduct had been against the hallowed institution of Malay traditional charm and courtesy.

Did I say ‘hallowed institution of renowned Malay traditional charm and courtesy’?

Yes, I did, which brings to mind a Malay saying “Biar mati anak, jangan mati adat” (Better your children die than your traditions), indicating uncompromising Malay pride in their traditions, where courtesy has been the hallmark of Malay culture – well, of most Malays because there has been one who had recently displayed his uncouth behaviour, and in that process, disgraced his ethnic culture.

Mind you, instead of rebuking Ali Rustam, AAB instead chided Kayveas for stating (earlier) what has been and still is the truth, that the BN should not descend into a government "of the few, by the few, for the few". Very few people ever agree with Kayveas but in that statement of his, most would, without any hesitation.

So, on behalf of those long suffering but thick hide and shamelessly mute PPP members I have been delighted when Ali Rustam fell on his own political sword.

Pity UMNO is too scared to remove him as CM Malacca as well – at least that would have stopped the Malacca State sausage-factory from churning out such embarrassing numbers of Datukship awards that would have staggered even the Zimbabwean government and turned them green with envy.

BTW, Jeanne Abdullah has a Malaccan Datukship as well.

But the manoeuvre to oust Ali has brought on a far more frightening prospect, where now Malaysia’s potentially future DPM and (if Najib were to die a premature death like his dad) potentially future PM could well be a man whose name has been etched in red inked ignominy in the files of Australian Immigration.

… because Malaysiakini tells us today that, following the backlash against Muhyiddin Yassin’s candidature, double-Muhammad is now (frighteningly) the favourite in the UMNO deputy presidential race, and that the 'Potential victor' Muhd Taib is not pulling out.

When it rains it f* pours!

AAB charmed?

Malaysiakini Bomb squad uncovers 'charm' under Pak Lah's desk!

Anwar Ibrahim was furious at the very act of a ‘charm’ being placed under AAB’s table in UMNO Headquarters (where he, Anwar, unfortunately is no longer welcomed).

In Parliament he demanded to know (no, not why the charm was placed so near to AAB’s cawat) why it was found under Abdullah's desk and not that of his deputy Najib.

;-) see what I mean about G.A.N wakakaka.

Oh BTW, I had a serious discussion on the ‘charm’ with a well-known saikong (Taoist priest) in my kampung, who then referred me to his muhibbah matey, my village bomoh – all these by mobile of course.

Pak Bomoh told me it was placed there by a certain someone to keep AAB wide awake, following criticisms he was zzzzzzzzzzzzzz during meetings.

Sounds like a good deal so I asked Pak Bomoh whether I could have one with an opposite effect, namely to help me sleep more soundly as I have been tossing and turning in bed.

The wily old man, who knows me since I was a toddler, told me (with a sly grin): “Cucu bukan Muslim ‘kan. Minum mabuk cukup lah.”

;-) The witch doctor is great!

Toyol in Nescafé bittle - Star Online photo

Related:

(1)Jinn in a Nescafé Bottle

(2)Return of the Red-Eyed Toyol

Zaid Ibrahim crossed the Rubicon

Malaysiakini - Zaid urges King not to name Najib as new premier!

Malaysiakini reported that 'Sacked Umno veteran Zaid Ibrahim today called on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to make the right choice - by not appointing Najib Abdul Razak as the country's next prime minister.'

Looks like Zaid has crossed the Rubicon. Politically, he now has two choices – stay independent as an individual and make explosive statements such as the one he has done today ... to thumb his nose at, and infuriate UMNO, especially Najib and his camp, or ...

... join Anwar Ibrahim in PKR.

Though I don’t know much about him, the little I do has earned him my respect.

On his own accord, and despite AAB’s urging for him to stay on as a minister, Zaid resigned from the cabinet as Law Minister after he could no longer stomach the use of the ISA on 3 persons, Raja Petra Kamarudin, sweetie Teresa Kok and sweetie Tan Hoong Cheng, ...

... the last of whom our dear Home Minister, Syed Hamid, ‘protected’ through incarcerating her under the draconian catch-all-no-question-may-be-asked Act [roll my eyes].

In his speech to the Rotary Club, which Malaysiakini titled juicily as If truth be told, Najib can't be PM Zaid lamented the ascendancy of Najib Razak to become the new PM of this nation ..... in just a week’s time.

Zaid ripped into Najib chapter and verse but I reckon the most telling and indeed most painful for Najib has been the following extracts as reported by Malaysiakini:

Without intending any accusation, it is regrettable that in the collective mind of the rakyat, Najib is not such a person. If a referendum were to be conducted on the subject or if the prime minister was to be elected directly by the rakyat, I do not think Najib would succeed. The reason for this is obvious: the rakyat has doubts, fuelled by the unanswered allegations against him and his unwillingness to confront these allegations.

It is not a mere trifle in the minds of the rakyat that despite a direct challenge from a member of parliament in the august House recently, the deputy prime minister remained silent, not even denying the implicit accusation made against him and demanding that it be repeated outside the chamber in the tried and tested method of refutation employed by parliamentarians throughout the world.

I have to say I did and still do wonder why Najib hasn’t sued the shit out of those who accused him of being directly involved in the murder of Altantuyaa Shariibuu?

There’s no evidence or availability of THAT photo, and even if it is available, at most it will show Najib lying about his acquaintanceship with Altantuyaa …

… though admittedly that lie (when proven) will lead on to a whole host of accusations.

Thus far, notwithstanding all the Statutory Declarations made against him, there’s no reliable evidence whatsoever other than by unsubstantiated accusations, a few of which have been far fetched and highly implausible.

The reason why I say there’s no evidence whatsoever is if in existence, these would have been delightfully and deliciously used by the G.A.N camp – you can be sure there won’t be any man man lai on their exposure.

So? What’s holding Najib back ... from suing his accusers?

You can’t say he’s scared because there’s no evidence (thus far) to be scared of.

The only reason I can think of (and I know you'll tell me I am not right wakakaka) is that he has somehow smelled a trap, that regardless of whether there’s substance or not, his enemies intend to drag the matter (court case) for as long as is possible to weaken his political standing … for in Malaysia, fling plenty of poo and surely some will stick.

Thus he may well win the libel suit but lose his political standing, and the premiership.

But what Zaid said is true, that, the rakyat has doubts, fuelled by the unanswered allegations against him and his unwillingness to confront these allegations.

However, while I accept most of Zaid's points in his speech, I disagree with two, namely his statements:

(1) "…for me to speak about the leadership transition that has been foisted upon us Malaysians."

"I say ‘foisted’ because neither me nor anyone in this room had any role or say in the choice of the person who will lead Malaysia next. We were mere bystanders in a political chess game. And yet the transition is a subject of great consequence to the nation, one I would say is of great national interest."

I don’t why Zaid, who obviously knows lots more about Westminster democracy than poor ignorant kaytee, would say that. Malaysia doesn’t have a presidential election system where the voters have a direct say in choosing the person to lead the nation.

The Westminister system is one where we elect a bunch of candidates (usually from various political parties, though there could be 'independents'), and the political party with the majority of elected candidates earns the right (given by the rakyat) to form the government.

The ruling party decides (before the election) who should be the PM (usually the party’s leader) should it win the election ..... and where there is provision for one, his/her deputy.

In Australia, the Labour Party is the ruling party and it puts forward Kevin Rudd as the PM and Julia Gillard as the Deputy PM.

So Zaid is not correct in saying we don’t have a say in the choice of person because we know who is the leader and deputy leader of the BN, as just Australians know who would be the PM and DPM when they voted in the Labour Party.

For example, if PR wins the next election, Anwar Ibrahim (if still around) will be PM (gulp). Last year I voted quite happily for DAP because Anwar was still on the outer (and waiting for UMNO to recall him wakakaka). But in 2013, I have to be mindful that if I vote for DAP, I may well be effectively casting a vote for Anwar to be PM (gulp again). Kaytee's dilemma (sigh).

And PR’s choice of DPM?

Herein lies the real reason why Anwar Ibrahim has kept avoiding the formation of a shadow cabinet wakakaka. He probably prefers Azmin Ali but he knows he won't get that if he wants to keep the PR intact.

(2) "…and the man who is expected to lead it to victory is the man who succeeds Abdullah: Najib (Abdul) Razak."

"A prime minister must have the confidence of the majority of the rakyat. In order for this to be the case, his integrity must be beyond question; not only must he be such a person character, he must be seen to be such a person. The office of prime minister is one of great trust, he who holds that office cradles the nation in his palms."

Come come Zaid. Are you telling us that the following PMs of Malaysia were smelling of roses?

(i) Tengku – Many Malays hated him (some still do). To the more pious Muslims, Tengku was a whisky-swilling, p'a kau-shuffling, Chinese loving, joget king playboy.

(ii) Abdul Razak – May 13, need I say more?

(iii) Hussein Onn – well, he’s pretty clean, I have to say. His only sin was to beget Hishamuddin wakakaka.

(iv) Mahathir – Jeez, you guys hate his guts probably more that you hate Najib, though I have been more accepting of him. I have to agree with Zaid who said of Mahathir:

"The major difference between then and now is this: in most instances, Mahathir was harsh and dictatorial if he believed it was good for the country. But an authoritarian style of government under anyone else would be dictated by the need for self preservation and very little about the country’s interest."

(v) AAB – well, you tell me ... PORR, Airbus, yacht, SIL, SON …

So .....

My only criticism of Zaid's speech would be of his appeal to the King - please lah, leave the royalty out of the political arena - we already have a surfeit of that.

The missing photo of a French dinner

Somewhere ‘out there’ is either a damning or a wonderful photo – ‘damning’ or ‘wonderful’ depending on who you are.

I am referring to the rumoured photo of a French dinner shared by the late Altantuyaa Shariibuu, her lover/husband(?) Razak Baginda and allegedly Najib Razak.

At least a million Malaysians, if not more, believe there is such a photo, based on the beat-up and assertions, unsubstantiated as they might be, coming out from the anti Najib camp. Everyone, especially Malaysians love a juicy rumour.

Tian Chua left his wannabe-martyr robes aside for a while to pursue his artistic proclivity and create a facsimile of that diner a trois, all from what was believed to be 1% imagination and 99% wishful thinking – that’s okay as ‘imagination’ and ‘thinking’ are afterall conceptualizing cousins.

The anti Najib camp insisted there is such a photo, based on the say so of Altantuyaa’s best friend Amy otherwise known as Burmaa Oyunchimeg.

Malaysiakini photo

Sweetie Burmaa told Malaysiakini: “I know why she wanted to see Razak Baginda - I have seen pictures of Altantuya with Razak and a government official.”

“She (Altantuya) was having a meal at a round table with Razak (Baginda), a Malaysian government official and other people.”

Strangely, Altantuyaa’s father Steve Shariibuu didn’t come across his daughter’s photo … and neither did anyone from the anti Najib camp, from PKR’s upper echelon to RPK to Malaysia’s Salvatore Dali.

How wonderful if that photo were to suddenly appear (the real one, not the one by our Salvatore Dali) … and how damning if indeed it does … yang and yin, day and night, light and darkness, hope and fear …

If it does, it will prove once and for all, that Najib had lied when he said he has never met Altantuyaa. And if he lied about that, it’s no longer just a matter of lying about their acquaintanceship; the lie (if proven) opens up a whole damning whirlpool of serious implications and consequences for Najib.

I wonder how much such a photo would be worth? wakakaka

If it doesn’t exist, well …. at least a million Malaysians if not more would still believe Najib is lying.

Tough. One reason for that is of course that Najib's propaganda machinery is not as good as that of PKR's.

Gobind Singh Deo, MP for Puchong must have believed it to an extent that he called Najib a murderer and earned himself a 12-month suspension from Parliament.

Apart from kaytee being pissed off with Speaker Pandikar Amin for ramming home the Judge Lynch suspension, I am also annoyed with Gobind, much as I am a DAP supporter.

Why should Gobind or any DAP MP/ADUN act as karm see tui (kamikaze squad) for you-know-who?

Look at Tian Chua! Even our best known wannabe martyr has taken an unusual back seat, lying low whilst DAP MP/ADUNs move aggressively up to the front line.

As for man man lai? He's way way way behind - for example, just compare, no no, contrast his public statement about the Sultans to that of Karpal Singh wanting to sue the Perak Sultan.

Yes, there's no doubt that Najib is someone’s special target – Najib stands between that someone and his 'heritage' position as UMNO (then No 2, now) No 1.

But bugger all that, shouldn’t Gobind speak up for Altantuyaa, even if he were to be suspended from Parliament?

Of course he should … but his sacrifice shouldn’t be only for Altantuyaa, but also for Kugan and Francis Udayappan and 80+ other deaths in police custody – see my posts:

(1) Pagar makan padi - deaths in police custody
(2) Most Dangerous Place in Malaysia!
(3) Was Udayappan Beheaded After His Death?

But to be suspended from Parliament for 12 months for accusing Najib of being a murderer, presumably of Altantuyaa … and based on what?

Alas, I think Gobind has been had! The DAP should let those PKR people do their own dirty work.

Please read my Murdering Altantuyaa Shaariibuu Again

Related:
'Convincibility' - A letter to Yang Amat Berhormat

For bloggers who wanna be a pilot

From Sydney Morning Herald - Become an airline pilot, no experience necessary.


March 16, 2009

If being a pilot is your dream job, one of Asia's fastest-growing budget airlines is seeking staff via an online contest, and no flying experience is necessary.

In a competition similar to the "Best Job in the World" contest to find a caretaker for a tropical Australian island, Malaysian airline AirAsia launched an online plea for pilots, asking candidates to blog why they should get the job.

"So YOU wanna be a pilot? Simple. What do you have to do? Blog. What? That's it? Yes, you're reading it right. Blog," AirAsia said on its official website.

The airline said 10 finalists will be selected, and they will take part in the first round of AirAsia's new pilot intake, which involves spending a day with pilots at the AirAsia Academy.

Bloggers will only be considered if they meet minimum requirements, which include being aged between 18 and 28, having a good command of English and Bahasa Malaysia and being mentally and physically fit, with good eye sight, the website said.

The competition runs from April 1 to May 15th.

In a spoof video blog entry intended to inspire applicants, airline staff list their reasons for wanting to become a pilot, which range from the flippant -- "getting girls," "money and bling-bling" -- to the more serious -- "this has been a lifelong dream as this is a very important and challenging career, where every single day is different."

On Wednesday, AirAsia's CEO Tony Fernandes said the airline expects to expand its services and remain resilient this year on the back of good demand for budget travel, despite the global recession.

Kangaroo holds court in Monkey House

Malaysiakini Gobind suspended for a year!

Sure Gobind said something serious … but due process demands that he be provided a fair opportunity to say something in his own defence?

Was he?

Nope, he was duly ‘hung’ by the BN vigilante mob, and then given a Pandikar Amin ‘fair’ trial.

Malaysiakini - ... father to be charged with sedition!

Karpal Singh is to be charged under the Sedition Act tomorrow in relation to his threat to sue the Perak ruler over the political crisis in the state.

Sedition?

Against a person who does not enjoy legal immunity and who has been assessed by legal experts including former Court of Appeal judge NH Chan as having violated the principle of fair play ...

... when he saw Najib before he summoned Nizar to inform the poor unsuspecting MB that He, the Ruler of Perak, had decided not to dissolve the legislative assembly?

Justice Chan stated: That was his undoing. It was a fatal error. This is not a case of natural justice where both sides have a right to be heard. There was no hearing.

In HRH sacking of MB Nizar, Justice Chan said sneeringly: This is no more than a pretended show of power when, in fact, there is no such power.

I wonder what Dr Mahathir would say to his UMNO successors elevating HRH to Brahmin-ic status where Pakatan Rakyat MPs’ haram-ish shadows must not cross the exalted shadow of HRH?

Malaysiakini - Two more charged with insulting Perak sultan!

All I need to do is to quote Zaid Ibrahim (former Law Minister) who said:

Many, including the Bar Council have said that His Highness's decision not to dissolve the Perak legislative assembly although advised to do so by the menteri besar (Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin) is beyond question or in legal parlance non justiciable.

HRH has actually ignored his own written words in his book 'Constitutional Monarchy, Rule of Law and Good Governance in 2004' that 'no sultan or agung had withheld consent to dissolve legislative body, except in Kelantan in 1977' ... and that ...

'Under normal circumstances, it is taken for granted that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would not withhold his consent to a request for dissolution of parliament. His role is purely formal'.

So another case of cakap ta'serupa bikin lah!

Please read my previous posts:

(1) All that is Silver does not glitter
(2) Tainted silver ain't no silver bullet
(3) Silver State's Sickening Sad Sandiwara
(4) Silver State in sorry state
(5) Rulers no 'Silver Bullet'
(6) Dangerous euphoria over 'political' royalty

and most important of all,

(7) Dr Wan Azizah, rethink your promise of legal immunity for royalty

Justice is blind, but should it be cruelly blind?

Yesterday I posted Insulting Perak Sultan - punishment must fit the crime! based on a Malaysiakini news article titled Six in court for insulting sultan, one fined RM10,000

Some of my readers still don’t get it, that the posted 'insult' to the Sultan is not a major crime. I would consider it as only a minor misdemeanour.

We no longer live in the days of Hang Tuah where the Sultan could order a citizen killed. My great grandfather who came from southern Thailand told us that in ye olde rotten days, the Sultan there would bury anyone he didn't like right up to that poor bastard's neck (in front of his Istana) and let the unfortunate soul die slowly out of thirst.

OK, back to the present - and what was the associated charge for the 'insult' to the Sultan?

Section 233 (1)(A) of the Multimedia and Communications Act 1998 for "unwise use of network or network services for making comments, demands, suggestions or communication which are vulgar, false, threatening or disturbing".

And what was the poor bastard’s precise ‘unwise use of network or network services’ that saw him being fined a humongous RM10K, an amount equal to 6 months of his salary.

Bloke wrote (translated from Malay by Malaysiakini in Sultan's guestbook 'deactivated'):

What is the advantage of being the Sultan? Why should you be worshipped and glorified? You are just lucky that you were born in a royal family but the fact remains that you are only a human being and have nothing to be proud of. I will not worship a Sultan but you have been entrusted to fight for justice. It is unfortunate that you have betrayed it. Because of you, the people of Perak will have to suffer all over again.

Disrespectful certainly, but pray tell me, in all honesty and objectivity, where was it that was ‘vulgar, false, threatening or disturbing’?

And even if he were to be punished by the courts for disrespect, mind you for a first offence, should it be by a fine of half a year’s salary?

As I said in my previous blog, the quantum of the fine has been in itself an injustice.

Perhaps the title of my previous post should have been Insulting Perak Sultan - crime must fit the punishment! and not punishment must fit the crime!

Insulting Perak Sultan - punishment must fit the crime!

In Malaysiakini Six in court for insulting sultan, one fined RM10,000 it was reported that:

In Kuala Lumpur, a lab assistant pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court for insulting Sultan Azlan Shah in the Perak sultan's website and was fined RM10,000.

I have read his comments in Malaysiakini and must say those were just a wee feral. But for the court to levy a RM10K fine on a bloke who earns RM1680 per month (6 months worth of salary) that’s very very cruel …..

….. a punishment that's totally out of proportion to his misdemeanour, bearing in mind in Malaysia royalty is not above criticism by the rakyat, thanks to Dr Mahathir. And we need to remember that 'punishment must fit the crime'!

And if not for UMNO exploiting the issue to hammer down on PR supporters, the poor bloke wouldn’t have suffered this tsunamic financial punishment.

A little aside, I note he is a lab assistant which reminds me of another lab assistant some years ago (2004) when I had just started blogging over at BolehTalk in partnership with Mr X.

That other lab assistant left quite a feral comment (about oil and water) at Jeff Ooi’s Screenshot which brought the wrath of the UMNO-led government (supposedly egged on by KJ and Kalimullah) and eventually Lim Keng Yaik as Minister of Comms on him.

Mr X and I (but principally Mr X, and I am proud to have been his partner in those early blogging days) fought for him on the web and through Malaysiakini.

I also presented my views on that affair to Bloggers speak out in October 2004.

Several months later I believe the BN government dropped the issue - ‘twas really Jeff Ooi they were after, not a lab assistant.

But anyway, what’s this with lab assistants, always falling foul of UMNO?

Back to the current issue - poor bloke is now facing financial devastation over the loss of half a year’s income.

‘Nice’ of the court to come down so heavily on a low income earner. Unless that fine is reduced, the legal penalty would become in itself unjust.

Maybe some kind PR people can help donate some money to mitigate his pain in the pocket.

But in the end we must ask the outcome of this sorry saga. Who has suffered the greater loss – this poor lab assistant (by RM10K) or HRH the Sultan (by the obvious loss of public respect for him)?

Anwar Ibrahim - AAB: Encounter of the thirsty kind

;-) wakakaka!

Malaysiakini Meeting a coincidence, say Anwar, Pak Lah sure made someone’s day.

And because the reporters at a press conference in Parliament yesterday didn’t bother to ask him about the face-to-face encounter with the PM, Malaysiakini reported that Anwar himself prodded them into asking him about his chance meeting with lame duck AAB.

Lame duck or not, Anwar clutched at every UMNO straw.

Shamelessly, he offered himself wakakaka in this opening gambit: "So what is the latest news today?"

"Isn't anybody going to ask me about my meeting yesterday?"

Once again, isn’t he just shameless? ;-)

"Since nobody is asking, it is a closed matter then."

How I wish I was there to signal to all reporters not to ask anything wakakakakakakaka.

AAB dismissed the chance meeting as just both him and Anwar being invited to attend a Maulidur Rasul event in Hulu Langat in Selangor on Tuesday. AAB was invited by Ustaz Sheikh Mahmud Al-Mazjub to celebrate the event as well as to mark the end of the spiritual leader’s 40-year spiritual development.

“There was no discussion between me and Anwar. There is nothing more about it. I was having lunch with Sheikh Mahmud when Anwar came. We listened as Sheikh Mahmud talked during the lunch. Sheikh Mahmud had brought up various matters and Anwar and I listened to him. There was no discussion between us.”

I wonder whether Anwar was stalking AAB for the chance to be seen with the PM wakakakakaka.

I’ve always believed that Anwar wants to return to UMNO – I still do!

In my post A Bridge Too Far - Anwar Ibrahim 3 years ago, Anwar eagerly offered (unsolicited) assistance to AAB on the crooked bridge business. I wrote:

Anwar has offered assistance to the government, saying he could draw from his experience in the government, including as finance minister between 1993 and 1998. That’s a fantastic CV, man.

Anwar continued: “I would not discount any possible meeting with Abdullah if he were to ask my views on the issues ... like the negotiations with Singapore on the bridge and even information on the negotiations with Indonesia on border issues.”

[…]

Mind you, Anwar assured us his offer does not imply a wish to rejoin UMNO - of course not! Everyone knows the UMNO-led government always gets ‘outsiders’ to negotiate with foreign governments on its behalf.

Alas for him, AAB snubbed him. To many UMNO insiders, Anwar was far too dangerous to allow too close, even for them. Mind you, they have had experience of the way he operated when he was their No 2.

But he’s still trying – his last chance, prior to his Nemesis taking over the organization he wants to return to.

I wonder whether I ought to feel a lil' sorry for him, with him seeing the UMNO gates gradually drawing shut to him forever more?

Did Najib Razak dine with Altantuyaa Shariibuu?

I am against fabricating lies to attack someone politically, whether it’s the ’50 dalils mengapa Anwar boleh menjadi PM’ or the Tian Chua fabricated photo of a ‘French dinner’ or a salacious extrapolation of a photo of one sleeping sweetie ADUN.

I am referring to the current piranha-ish slander of Najib Razak, based on the most tenuous circumstantial evidence, basically all hearsay.

Apparently the local gossip goes, a French newspaper Liberation has revealed all, chapter and verse, on the Najib involvement in Altantuyaa Shariibuu’s murder.

And today, as reported by Malaysiakini in Of Najib-Altantunya and Disneyland leng chai Azmin Ali, PKR VP and Anwar's right-hand man, raised it in the Selangor DUN.

Apart from some gory details about Altantuyaa being shot in the left side of her face by killers who are currently being tried in a Malaysian court (I wonder how Altantuyaa’s family must be feeling to have this published), the Liberation didn't add anything new to what we have already known.

But nevertheless this was the part that G.A.N (Gerakan Anti Najib) seized upon:

At the end of March 2005 the couple was in Paris, where they met with Najib Razak. A picture shows the threesome in a Parisian private club. “Tuya showed me the pix. She said that one of the men was her boyfriend, Abdul Razak Baginda, and the other the “big boss”, Najib Razak. I asked her if they were brothers because of the names, but she said no, and that Najib Razak was the ‘prime minister’”, said Amy, Altantuya’s best friend (Najib Razak has sworn on the Koran that he has never met Altantuya). According to a private detective, now in hiding in India, the beautiful Tuya was also the occasional mistress of the deputy Prime minister, who was introduced to her by Baginda at the end of 2004.

The above writeup is what Malaysians would call ‘tambah cabai’ or Penangites termed ‘kair liao’, adding the ‘tau eu’ and ‘lada’ to the ‘char koay teow’.

The ‘she’ who was shown the photo by Altantuyaa is Amy, Altantuya’s best friend. Sweetie's real name is Burmaa Oyunchimeg. She was in Malaysia in June 2007, as a witness at the Altantuyaa’s murder trial , as reported by Malaysiakini in Najib seen with Altantuya. The Malaysiakini court reporter then was Soon Li Tsin.

Malaysiakini photo

This was what she said, according to Soon Li Tsin: “I know why she wanted to see Razak Baginda - I have seen pictures of Altantuya with Razak and a government official.”

“She (Altantuya) was having a meal at a round table with Razak (Baginda), a Malaysian government official and other people.”

Najib mentioned? Nope. Just a 'government official'.

It was only when my hero Karpal Singh, who is holding a watching brief for the deceased’s family, posed a question to her on the identity of the ‘government official’ that she replied: “I remember the name Najib Razak, they had the same name, ‘Razak’. I thought they were brothers. I asked her (Altantuya) if they were brothers.”

From here I gather two things:

(1) She remembered the name ‘Razak’, and I suspect, probably not 'Najib'. To her, Razak Baginda was with a ‘government official’. If she remembers the other man as ‘Najib Razak’, surely she would have said so in the first place.

(2) Her testimony was only hearsay ("I heard from Altantuyaa …"), in as much as the SD’s were all “I hear from … who was told by ... that she told him she liked it in the back ...” or “I have been reliably informed …”.

Well, was Najib Razak involved?

Was there a French dinner for the three?

Did Najib screw Altantuyaa in her belakang as alleged by Balasubramaniam in his SD (Najib’s masuk belakang suspiciously/coincidentally after Anwar had a 2nd charge of sodomy lodged against him)?

Frankly, I don’t know because there is yet nothing substantial to provide some form of support for the above allegations.

In fact, Bala’s post-SD reporting to the police station, most implausibly without a lawyer for such a momentous event following the PI’s lodging of a scandalous incriminating SD against the nation’s DPM about the latter's sexual involvement with the murdered Mongolian model, etc …

Hey man, you lodged a SD against the nation's No 2 most powerful man, alleging you've heard he was giving it to the murdered Altantuyaa's in her behind, and you went to a police station all ALONE to answer police queries about your flaming SD?

… his 2nd SD withdrawing the first SD, implying he was under pressure from the Najib camp (real or staged) and …

… his subsequence disappearance ...

… have made Najib look really bad.

All together, they seemed just too neat, too convenient, too suspiciously finger pointing at Najib …

… which has been why I wasn’t convinced of its halal-ness (kosher-ness)

To summarize, the report in the French newspaper Liberation has nothing new on the murder other than, as I mentioned, the (alleged) grubby details of the tragic moment during the shooting and how Altantuyaa had allegedly pleaded for her life … but nonetheless still hearsay.

But try telling that to the G.A.N or PKR supporters ;-)

Related:
(1)Tian Chua - a cherry blossom?
(2) Raja Petra's Statutory Declaration - is it evidence?

Royal immunity by stealth?

Star Online reported Rulers asked to seek restoration of immunity.

It quoted Tengku Datuk Zainol Rashid Tengku Yahya, the president of the Kedah Royal Household Association, stating that the association will ask the Conference of Rulers to seek the restoration of immunity for rulers.

His reason for the restoration of legal immunity for the rulers?

It was needful to ensure that ‘certain parties’ would not “belittle the Malay rulers who are the pillars and protectors of the strength of the Malays.”

“If immunity is restored, the issue of mocking the Malay rulers will probably not arise.”

This is disingenuous.

How can legal immunity stop people from criticizing royalty? Legal immunity does not immunize anyone from criticisms.

A law on lèse majestés? … yes, and even then, there’s no guarantee that some people would defy that law, prepared to be imprisoned for speaking out against, say, a royal tyrant like the Nepalis had done … successfully.

No, the ambit claim for restoration of legal immunity is nothing but a claw-back by stealth, using recent criticisms against a particular ruler as camouflage for the real motive.

What legal immunity will actually provide royalty is protection from legal prosecution against acts of murder (golf anyone?), acts of violence or intimidation (hockey then?), and acts of dishonest dealings or breach of contracts (someone could be sued for millions and someone was, and had to cough up).

So, what shall we recommend to Tengku Datuk Zainol Rashid Tengku Yahya to enhance the position of the rulers so that they won’t be criticized?

Well, my dear sir, what about encouraging the rulers to conduct themselves in a manner as to earn our respect and affection, which will surely kill off any form of disrespectful criticisms!

I didn’t say it. It was Muhyiddin Yassin, Johor Menteri Besar & a future DPM, who was reported by the New Straits Times on Dec 27, 1992 as stating:

"A ruler will enjoy the respect of his people even without the immunity but with the conduct that is appropriate with his office.”

"Though the issue is a bitter pill to swallow, our rulers must accept the fact that immunity is not God given."

And it's not only kaytee who agrees fully with Muhyiddin.

There was Pak Haji Nik Aziz too - he was quoted by the New Straits Times (Dec 16, 1992) as stating: "Furthermore we know that the Quran and the Sunnah do not confer immunity to anyone. Everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah."

Amin, Datuk Haji!

Also read Malaysiakini Umno's 1993 blitzkrieg against the sultans.

Perak - What next from UMNO? The military?

Malaysiakini - Sivakumar barred again from choosing lawyer.

Why is that bloke Ridwan Ibrahim still allowed to perpetuate judicial nonsense?

He has insisted that Perak DUN Speaker V Sivakumar as a State official ‘must’ (not ‘may’) be represented by the State Legal Advisor …

… but Article 132(3)(b) of the Federal Constitution categorically states that ‘the public service shall NOT be taken to comprise’ the Speakers of Parliament and the Legislative Assemblies of the State.

Why is the judicial commissioner (whom we learnt had run out of his contract as a judicial commissioner on 28 Feb 09) trying to foist the State Legal Advisor on to Sivakumar, when it's f* obvious Sivakumar doesn't have to?

Well … let’s consider the following …

Today the Malaysian Insider reported in Sivakumar can be probed for alleged misconduct, says MACC that MACC's Legal and Prosecution Division Director Abdul Razak Musa has threateningly said of the Perak DUN Speaker: "He is not immune from action under the law. Investigation can be made if he had acted beyond the scope of his official duties."

Meanwhile the Bar Council condemned MACC for questioning Augustine Anthony, one of Sivakumar’s lawyers his afternoon. Antony said that MACC officers interrogated him about his dealings with Sivakumar, whom they are investigating for allegations of misconduct.

Oh, by the f* way, MACC has given UMNO a clean bill of health regarding the party’s alleged ‘money politics’ - they're clean lah ...

... but has been deafeningly silent on the case of the Chief Justice just raised by Karpal Singh, and the long overdue Lingam-gate … etc etc.

So, can we trust the civil service (like the clerk of the Perak DUN), judiciary (with people like Ridwan Ibrahim), police (that Ipoh Chief Police Officer who illegally barred ADUNs from entering the State Secretariat while allowing thugs to loiter there to threaten the ADUNs), and MACC (Abdul Razak Musa)?

Yes, can you blame Sivakumar for declining the service of the Perak State Legal Advisor …

… apart from the constitutional fact that Sivakumar is not required to do so, being not an officer of the public service – huh-f*-loooooooo, Article 132(3)(b) of the Federal Constitution is very clear on this.

And the State Legal Advisor himself should consider the fact that he is already representing BN’s Zambry, so how in the f*ing world can he also accept the task of representing Zambry’s opponent in the same case?

This must be a first in law anywhere in the world.

He should have rejected that assignment immediately when that judicial commissioner raised it, but alas …

There seems to be no iota of commonsense or common decency left!

There’s not even respect for both the federal and state Constitutions …

… KELUHURAN PERLEMBAGAAN (the supremacy of the Constitution) …

Mana ada?

In the final analysis, UMNO just doesn’t have the balls to face the people of Perak ...

... which has been why it has brought its hired guns (MACC, Polis, Judiciary, Civil Service, etc) to bear on the Perak Pakatan Rakyat.

I would not be surprised if it eventually throws in the (military) kitchen sink.