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Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Kerbau-ish Lim KS exposed

Malaysiakini:



2021 - Harapan’s reckoning

by S Thayaparan

“Totalitarian solutions may well survive the fall of totalitarian regimes in the form of strong temptations which will come up whenever it seems impossible to alleviate political, social, or economic misery in a manner worthy of man.”

- Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism

COMMENT | Mukhriz Mahathir said that corruption is the
"number one enemy" of the Malays, which is somewhat queer for many reasons, the most important of which is that he is wrong. Forget about who is saying this for a minute but the number one enemy of the Malays is religious extremism.

Recall that great photo of the old maverick standing shoulder to shoulder with Zakir Naik. If a picture says a thousand words, that photo probably said millions.





Zakir said it is better for Muslims to vote for corrupt Muslim leaders instead of honest non-Muslim leaders. Now if a preacher who said this – and he has said worse – is embraced by the political establishment, what message does it send to the fractured Malay polity, especially when it comes to state-sponsored religious dogma?

Malaysians have voted in successive corrupt regimes for decades and the opposition by first breaking the two-thirds majority and winning certain states demonstrated that it had an alternative narrative which resonated especially amongst the urban and semi-urban polities.

Since then, political attitudes for whatever reasons have changed. So this idea of working with kleptocrats is just so noughties.

The fact that Pejuang borne from the treachery of Bersatu can declare the demise of Pakatan Harapan is demonstrative of how ineffectual Harapan is.

Anwar Ibrahim should concentrate on strengthening the opposition but if the opposition cannot even declare with certainty that he is their prime minister candidate and instead engage in subterfuge when it comes to this issue, all the more incentive for Anwar to seek the backing of outsiders.



All these legacy coalitions, which are actually a facsimile of the BN formula, have caused too many problems for the DAP and multiracial parties.

Zaid Ibrahim – can I say Zaid Ibrahim or do I have to ask someone for permission, to use his name? – tweeted it best when he wrote: "Lim Kit Siang should stop labelling Umno as a kleptocratic party. He was in bed with kleptocrats. He is still probably in bed with them. Just because these kleptocrats were not charged and left Umno does not mean they are 'cleaner' than Umno."



I also like what Zaid tweeted about Jakim. He said: "Jakim should be given more powers. Why stop at certifying halal cake shops? Let's certify all Malay men - if they are worthy of being certified halal." Which, truth be told, is kind of what all this rampant religious extremism has always been about, the certification of the Malay polity by the state. But this is a topic for another polemic.

Since hooking up with the old maverick to dethrone the Najib Abdul Razak regime, the slippery slope has reached its logical end, with the DAP working with Umno in Perak.

Mind you, I have no real issue with that equation and have written about how bipartisanship is the way forward from all this Manichean nonsense that passes as political discourse.

The year 2021 will determine how badly the dysfunctionality of Harapan has affected the base. Mohamad Sabu is right when he said that the Muhyiddin Yassin regime is firming up its support. The only reason why it can do this is because it knows that Harapan is in the manure house.

Anwar’s problem is not that he was willing to work with Umno, but he had failed to get the numbers. This screwed up not only his credibility but also Harapan’s.

The fact is that many folks in Harapan were spooked with all these manoeuvres because they believed that if Anwar was successful, Umno would have such a hold over him, that his allies would suffer.

And by “suffer” I mean to be denied the position of influence within the new administration. So you better believe it that when Anwar’s ploy failed, there were sighs of relief in Harapan.

Even Anwar’s rhetoric of PKR having a Malay/Muslim core is not as problematic as it sounds. What is problematic is the fact that Anwar has failed to articulate beyond political bromides what the agenda of his Malay Muslim core is.

Harapan was not interested in creating a counter-narrative. A counter-narrative that Harapan's Islam was about promoting a first-class education for Muslims, weeding out corruption in the political and religious class, ensuring the healthcare system is one of the best in the region and ensuring a plurality of Islamic voices so that young people do not join extremist groups that pose a danger to the citizens of this country. You could, if you were smart, define this as a "Malay" right.


Jeyakumar Devaraj

As PSM's Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj said - and here is someone who has actually worked and learnt from the disenfranchised Malay polity - "If you stop affirmative action for the rich Malays, even the poor Malays would accept it," and added, "... that if policies are focused on the B40 community, regardless of race, the Malays would still benefit the most as they make up the majority of the lower-income group.”

Think about this. We are going into 2021, with the still unknown consequences of the pandemic hanging over our heads. Economic and social vagaries brought upon by the pandemic will be a major issue.

The Islamic deep state is already drawing up an agenda that would mean more repression for the majority community, which ultimately means that the social and economic ecosystems of non-Malays will be affected. With all this going on, Harapan is squabbling over who will lead Harapan?

What does Harapan want? The one good thing about PN coming into power is that we know what a Malay uber alles government looks like. Granted this pandemic took everyone by surprise and PN would have to temper its racial and religious impulses, if not for the deep Islamic state.

If there was no pandemic, it would have been worse because Umno would realise that it could destroy PN at any moment and it would still be to their advantage.

What is Harapan at the moment? Harapan sure as hell could not tell you. Political operatives are busy writing about the kleptocrats and attempting to paint an idealised picture of the past when the reality is that corruption has always been with us, but now we have the added toxicity of religious extremism, which only exists to serve the political class.

There will be a realignment of Malay and non-Malay power structures in 2021 and whether this means the end of Harapan remains to be seen.

One could argue that a realignment means the end of Harapan as the base envisioned. Harapan was owed this reckoning.

Have a productive and safe 2021, Malaysia, whoever you are.


S THAYAPARAN is Commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. A retired barrister-at-law, he hopes young people will assume the mantle of leadership – if there is to be any hope for this country.



6 comments:

  1. Eh...Zakar Naik still around? Why KT still blame Toonsie? Is he PM?

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  2. The Lims have tasted the forbidden fruit.

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  3. Capt Thaya-Pandai must have been commandeering an RMN ship lost at sea under the influence of God Knows What during the late 80 and 90s. He must have missed too many Berita Harian stories about ZICO.

    Zaid Ibrahim was a Mara Institute Law / University of London external graduate. An "ungrateful" product of the UMNO/BN system which created an easy path to a law career and empower Malays. Easy-peasy Diplomas only, then with a few more credits dapat LLB. Then Buka Law Firm, Kontrak semua mari.

    He formed ZICO in 1987 and his law firm quickly grew from business linked to UMNO politicians and UMNO as a party. He benefitted from UMNO. And who, pray tell, was Party Leader and PM at that time? Lim Kit Siang?

    In 2000 Zaid joined UMNO (who was PM then?) and was made Kota Bahru UMNO Chief but he was not effective there - sound familiar? He won the seat in 2004 under the Toonsie - Badawi transition wave of popularity but was not even fielded by UMNO in 2008 GE because he was hopeless as a Kelantan UMNO Chief - sound familiar again? Although he was not an elected MP he was made Backdoor Minister via the Senate - sound familiar YET again? So again and again he benefitted from the Kleptocratic Gomen, or is he saying UMNO was not corrupt then?

    So today if he cannot stand corruption, kleptocrats and bigots he has painted himself into a corner. He cannot re-join UMNO, PAS is too religious, Bersatu is racist, he already left PKR, Toonsie is in Pejuang, he is too old for Muda and he is burning his bridges with DAP.

    So where to now Zaid? Take your pick.

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  4. so many words, i still no idea what thaya talking abt. so anwar shd or shdnt work with umno?

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  5. Wakakaka ...... more colourful past of KT's hero :

    https://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/142231

    Zaid, it is time for some answers
    Azman Shamsuddin

    Published 8 Sep 2010, 1:32 pm
    Modified 8 Sep 2010, 1:43 pm
    Dear Zaid Ibrahim,

    I must say I admire you for your courage in resigning from the cabinet on the issue of the Internal Security Act and your efforts at trying to make amends for the judicial crisis in 1987. Congratulations. It is unfortunate that you did not win the Hulu Selangor by-election. I have read your book, I, too, am Malay and am truly inspired.

    But I have yet to get a satisfactory answer on a few questions. I had been hoping more people to ask these questions but it seems that you are a darling of the liberal media which would not bother you on these issues. But I really hope to get honest answers on these questions.

    First, the issue of your stand at the beginning of the judicial crisis in 1987. Was it true that you formed the Muslim Lawyers Association upon Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s instruction in order to counter the Bar Council’s critical stand?


    Why did you form the association when we all knew that, at least at that point in your life, you led a very liberal lifestyle? While you claimed you did not endorse the sacking of Lord President Salleh Abas, you accepted Hamid Omar to chair the tribunal to try Salleh and distanced yourself from the Bar Council’s boycott of Hamid.

    You continued with your battles with the Bar Council in 1992 when you proposed Justice Minister Syed Hamid Albar to be made president of the Bar Council.

    Secondly, the growth of Zaid Ibrahim & Co to become Malaysia’s biggest legal firm. As much as I would like to think that Zico was a success on its own, many have pointed out that your firm was rewarded with contracts following your support for Mahathir during the judicial crisis and the Umno split.

    Is it true you benefitted from Umno through the awards of contracts from UEM and Bakun? I remember you were even investigated for insider trading with Bashir Ismail and Bank Bumiputera chairperson and Renong Berhad executive chairperson, Halim Saad.

    Thirdly, your love-hate relationship with PKR. My friends in Gerakan informed me that you considered joining Gerakan before actually joining PKR. I congratulate you for having that courage.

    But shortly after being appointed to the Political Bureau, you then expressed your desire to take a six-month leave. Subsequently you returned to the Political Bureau. Yet you continued blogging against the party leadership.

    Don’t get me wrong, I am all for freedom of speech but also there should be collective responsibility. Why, if you are really unhappy with PKR, accept the nomination for Hulu Selangor and subsequently as Wilayah Perseketuan PKR chief?

    While you have criticised the party at many junctures, I believe to be fair, the party has given you many responsibilities in spite of being new and critical. It would be good once in a while for you to have something good to say to friends who have been in the party much longer than you have.

    I hope you can answer these questions so that I can truly be assured of your commitment to change and reform.

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    Replies
    1. Wakakakakaka…

      So typically a melayu elite's starry sopo career built on layer upon layer of ketuanan championship.

      Yet there r bleeding-heartish gullible mfers supporting all these rubbishy characters - same like that one 'liberal' lawyer turned DR speaker!

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