Dr Mahathir among ‘20 most dangerous extremists’ in world

MM Online:

Group lists Dr Mahathir among ‘20 most dangerous extremists’ in world

Pejuang chairman Tun Mahathir Mohamad arrives for a press conference at Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya January 7, 2021. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was 14th in the Counter Extremism Project’s (CEP) list of “The Top 20 Most Dangerous Extremists Around the World”.

The US-based group named the secretary-general of Palestinian group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, as the most dangerous in the list, ahead of Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla who is the self-styled “caliph” of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.

The CEP presented the list as a collection of extremists across a spectrum of ideologies and beliefs, whom it said were “considered a huge threat to international security.”

In the entry for Dr Mahathir, the CEP cited him as anti-Semitic, a critic of the West, and highlighted his remarks about the October 2020 terrorist attack in France.

“Mahathir is not directly responsible for specific acts of violence. However, his controversial opinions have led to international condemnation as it was alleged Mahathir supported extremist violence against the West,” the CEP said.

After the terrorist attack in France, Dr Mahathir posted an opinion piece that contained a controversial paragraph that was singled out for criticism as it appeared to justify the violence.

The CEP was founded in 2014 by former US government officials and described its mission as “fighting global extremism” with a particular focus on disrupting the IS terrorist group.

*********

kt notes:

Wakakaka, but it's probably a Christian Rightwing group or ultra-pro Israeli group because on that list of 20, most are Muslims, some neo-Nazis and one Buddhist monk, the Myanmar so-called 'Buddha bin Ladan'.

Not one Israeli-Jewish fanatic at all wakakaka. What kerbau.

To US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, "Wow, Insurrection at Capitol Hill has been 'a beautiful sight to behold'"

NST:

China goes online to mock 'beautiful sight' of US Capitol chaos

Pro-Trump protesters gather in front of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. -AFP pic

BEIJING: China's internet erupted in mirth at America's troubled democracy after supporters of President Donald Trump broke into the US Capitol, with Beijing criticising the "sharp contrast" between Washington's response to the chaos and the 2019 Hong Kong anti-government protests.

On Thursday morning, state media tabloid Global Times tweeted side-by-side photo comparisons of Hong Kong protesters occupying the city's Legislative Council Complex in July 2019 with Wednesday's Washington riots.

The latter saw hardcore Trump fans invade the US Capitol to protest the election defeat, taking selfies, scuffling with security and ransacking parts of the building.

"@SpeakerPelosi once referred to the Hong Kong riots as 'a beautiful sight to behold'," the Global Times said in the tweet, referring to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's June 2019 comment about Hong Kong's mass pro-democracy demonstrations, which at that time were mostly peaceful.

"It remains yet to be seen whether she will say the same about the recent developments in Capitol Hill."

China's Communist Youth League also described the unrest as a "beautiful sight" on the Twitter-like Weibo platform.

Beijing's foreign ministry echoed those sentiments, saying "the reaction of some people in the US, including that of some media outlets, is completely different."

Speaking at a press briefing Thursday, ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that the "sharp contrast (in reactions) makes one ponder, and deserves serious and profound reflection."

The hashtag "Trump supporters storm US Capitol" pinballed across China's Weibo on Thursday, racking up 570 million views, as users compared the global support for Hong Kong's protesters with the outpouring of condemnation for the pro-Trump mob.

Members of the National Guard and the Washington D.C. police keep a small group of demonstrators away from the U.S. Capitol on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. - AFP pic

"At present, all European countries' leaders have shown double standards and condemned it (Washington rioting)," read one Weibo comment which gained over 5,000 likes.

"I don't know what kind of double-standard reports will be carried by Hong Kong or Taiwan media this time."

"What happened in the Hong Kong Legislative Council last year is being repeated in the US Capitol," wrote another user in a comment with over 4,500 likes.

While the tactics were similar, there are stark differences in the causes and motivations of the two legislative stormings.

Hong Kong protesters broke into the Legislative Council to demand full democracy and halt an unpopular bill that was being pushed through by the city's unelected leadership.

Citizens of the semi-autonomous Chinese city do not enjoy full democratic rights, the cause of years of popular protests.

Beijing responded to the 2019 unrest with a crackdown, imposing a harsh security law on the restless city, arresting scores of critics and smothering dissent.

In contrast, those storming the US Capitol were trying to overturn the results of what has been declared a free and fair presidential election.

US President-elect Joe Biden has accused the US rioters of undermining democracy by trying to overturn his victory in November's election.--AFP

And Carrot-Head, banned even by Twitter for inciting violence, wants to interfere in Hong Kong politics

MM Online:

After Trump supporters storm US Capitol, Congress certifies Biden win

Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi resume presiding over a Joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 Electoral College results, after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol earlier in the day, on Capitol Hill in Washington, January 6, 2021. — Reuters pic

WASHINGTON, Jan 7 — Hours after hundreds of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol in a harrowing assault on American democracy, a shaken Congress today formally certified Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.

Late yesterday houses of Congress resumed their work on certifying Biden’s Electoral College win, with debate stretching into the early hours of today. After debate, the Senate and the House of Representatives rejected two objections to the tally and certified the final Electoral College vote with Biden receiving 306 votes and Trump 232 votes.

Vice President Mike Pence, in declaring the final vote totals behind Biden’s victory, said this “shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected president and vice president of the United States.”

The outcome had never been in doubt, but had been interrupted by rioters – spurred on by Trump – who forced their way past metal security barricades, broke windows and scaled walls to fight their way into the Capitol.

Police said four people died during the chaos – one from gunshot wounds and three from medical emergencies – and 52 people were arrested.

Some besieged the House of Representatives chamber while lawmakers were inside, banging on its doors and forcing suspension of the certification debate. Security officers piled furniture against the chamber’s door and drew their pistols before helping lawmakers and others escape.

The assault on the Capitol was the culmination of months of divisive and escalating rhetoric around the Nov. 3 election, with the Republican president repeatedly making false claims that the vote was rigged and urging his supporters to help him overturn his loss.

The chaos unfolded after Trump – who before the election refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost – addressed thousands of supporters near the White House and told them to march on the Capitol to express their anger at the voting process.

He told his supporters to pressure their elected officials to reject the results, urging them “to fight.”

Some prominent Republicans in Congress strongly criticized Trump, putting the blame for the day’s violence squarely on his shoulders.

“There is no question that the President formed the mob, the President incited the mob, the President addressed the mob. He lit the flame,” House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney said on Twitter.

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, a leading conservative from Arkansas, called on Trump to accept his election loss and “quit misleading the American people and repudiate mob violence.”

Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are due to take office on Jan. 20. — Reuters

Umno’s clear rejection of Bersatu has shot to pieces Perikatan’s long-term viability

MM Online:

Analysts: Umno’s clear rejection of Bersatu has shot to pieces Perikatan’s long-term viability

Hoo said that Umno is keen to push Barisan Nasional (BN) forward as it does not wish to sideline Chinese and Indian support. — Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) long-term viability as a political coalition is in tatters as its ally Umno openly rejects cooperating with Bersatu in any shape or form for the upcoming general elections, according to political observers.

In yet another blow to the Malay parties’ tumultuous relationship, an overwhelming majority of Umno divisional leaders declared over the weekend that they shun any further cooperation with Bersatu and instead prefer to strengthen their alliance with PAS under Muafakat Nasional (MN).

KSI Strategic Institute economic adviser and independent political analyst Prof Hoo Ke Ping said PN now simply cannot survive without the cooperation of Umno as the latter still commands a formidable party machinery and well-established grassroots.

Hoo further explained that Umno knows that its tie-up with PAS under Muafakat Nasional (MN) alone could win a large share of the 128 Malay-majority seats up for grabs in the peninsula.

“That is why Umno is adamant about preserving and strengthening its relationship with PAS under MN instead of working with PN. Mathematically, it makes more sense regardless of the political machinations that happen,” he said.

Hoo also explained that Umno is keen to push Barisan Nasional (BN) forward as it does not wish to sideline Chinese and Indian support.

“At this stage, Umno leaders would not want to risk sidelining non-Malay voters. Their dynamic has changed since PH took over and lost, if past by-elections, such as Tanjung Piai, are anything to go by. We saw close to 30 per cent of Chinese voters returning to BN then and there,” he said.

The Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat returned to BN’s fold in the November 2019 by-election in a result most political pundits saw coming, with the former ruling coalition securing up to 75 per cent of votes, including from several Chinese-majority voting streams.

In the final tally, BN’s candidate Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng from MCA received 25,466 votes to bag a majority of 15,086 over PH’s Karmaine Sardini from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, who received 10,380 votes, confirming pundits’ forecast.

“There is a major push and consideration for MCA and MIC to contest various seats in the coming elections, and these two parties could wrestle 10 seats away easily if the election strategy is sound,” he said.

“So you can see why PN is not a viable choice for Umno; even PAS would consider Umno to be a better option compared to Bersatu,’’ added Hoo.

Prior to the 2018 elections, BN held 130 seats, with 84 of them from Umno, seven from MCA and four from MIC. It had only won 79 seats in GE14, 55 of which belong to Umno.

However, following several defections, mainly an exodus to Bersatu, Umno is now left with 38 seats.

Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has even stated that the party intends to contest 96 seats in GE15.

Senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs Oh Ei Sun gave a similar assessment, but further stated that PAS is torn between short- and long-term political goals that Umno and Bersatu could provide.

“In such a scenario, Umno will still win the lion’s share of Malay-majority or substantially Malay seats, with PN sweeping most other such seats, mainly due to support for PAS and handouts accredited to Muhyiddin,” referring to rescue packages announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to cushion the economic impact of Covid-19.

“An Umno-PAS coalition would, of course, win significantly more seats than a Bersatu-PAS coalition, as Umno and PAS’ nationalist and religious appeals would be almost invincible.

“But PAS has a newfound liking for Bersatu and Muyhiddin, as under them, PAS has an unexpected niche such that it could surreptitiously but effectively push forward its religious supremacist agenda, such as the anti-alcohol campaigns in various guises.

“So PAS is in a sense torn between immediately higher short-term gains by partnering with Umno and initially lower but in the longer-term, hopefully steadier returns by partnering with Bersatu — that is if Bersatu could indeed last long,” said Oh.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia geostrategist Professor Azmi Hassan told Malay Mail despite Bersatu being in the driver’s seat of the nation’s administration during its tenure with Pakatan Harapan (PH), it can’t seem to woo Malay voters.

“No doubt PAS can comfortably defend seats that it won during GE14, but the same cannot be said for Bersatu. When the party entered GE14, it was touted as an Umno replacement for the Malays,” he said.

“As GE14 results demonstrated, Bersatu failed miserably. Today, even after a few former Umno MPs joined Bersatu, nothing much has changed. And bear in mind, Bersatu had PH supporting its candidates. Bersatu faces an uphill task yet again, as it tries to wrestle Malay votes from Umno.”

Azmi also concluded that it would be more strategically sound for PAS to maintain its ties with MN rather than PN.

“The real threat to PAS is Umno, no doubt. Strategically, it is more prudent for PAS to negotiate seat allocations with Umno rather than going against Umno. So it is better for PAS to be with MN rather than PN,” he concluded.

Civil War in PN Has Begun

finance-twitter:

Civil War Has Begun – UMNO Finally Realized Its Mistake, Desperately Wants To Quit The Backdoor Govt Before It’s Too Late

When the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) happily agreed to join forces with Muhyiddin Yassin and his band of traitors – Azmin Ali and Hamzah Zainudin – to overthrow the democratically and legitimately elected government of Pakatan Harapan, it was a huge mistake. But UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was absolutely clueless about it.

Grinning from ear to ear, Zahid said his mission was accomplished, as if he was Tom Cruise who had just completed an impossible mission. Of course, what he meant was that since the Pakatan government had collapsed, all his 87 charges related to money laundering and corruption and criminal breach of trust (CBT) would eventually be dropped, or so he thought.

Together with ally PAS Islamist party, Zahid brought his party UMNO, along with MCA and MIC as well as the Sarawak Party Coalition (GPS) to meet with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) to support Muhyiddin as the next prime minister. Actually, the coup did not have the minimum 112 Members of Parliament in the 222-seat Parliament to form a simple-majority government.



To prove that Muhyiddin did not have the numbers as claimed, Mahathir had published a full list of names of all the 114 MPs who supported him on the night before Muhyiddin’s official swearing ceremony. Muhyiddin son of Yassin cowardly kept quiet and did not show any name list. The backdoor prime minister has been hiding behind Coronavirus pandemic ever since.

Even until today, PM Muhyiddin does not dare to test his legitimacy in the Parliament when he ordered his lapdog House Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun to disallow any motion of no confidence against him. In fact, the premier was so terrified that he had even ordered the Parliament to be shut down – shamelessly restricted a sitting to only one day on May 18, 2020.

But the fragile Perikatan Nasional coalition, glorified as a “Malay-Muslim” government, could not hide the reality that it’s a matter of time before the corrupt and treacherous Malay leaders would be at each other’s throats. Today, pro-Perikatan Nasional bloggers, propagandists, cyber troopers and news media no longer brag about the “Malay only” government.



In less than 12 months since UMNO president Zahid Hamidi, PAS president Hadi Awang and Bersatu (PPBM) president Muhyiddin Yassin hugged and kissed each other, the loosely glued backdoor government is on the brink of a collapse. Zahid and his mentor, former Prime Minister Najib Razak, finally realize the mistake of joining forces with Muhyiddin.

Before the infamous political coup known as the “Sheraton Move”, UMNO thought on one hand it could control PAS (through Muafakat Nasional coalition), and arm-twist Bersatu on the other hand (through Perikatan Nasional coalition). But both Zahid and Najib had underestimated PAS fake holy men’s greed for position, power, women and Mercedes.

After being showered with ministership and chairmanship, the Islamist party leaders quickly changed their loyalty from UMNO to Bersatu. With a snap of a finger, Muhyiddin successfully bought the loyalty of PAS top leaders, the same way Hadi Awang bootlicked and worshipped Mahathir when the 93-year-old man was the prime minister for 22 months.



But the biggest mistake of UMNO was its arrogance and stupidity that led the party to believe it could control Muhyiddin, Azmin and Hamzah. Mr Najib and Mr Zahid’s miscalculation included that puppet Muhyiddin would drop all their criminal charges. It was also naive to think Perikatan Nasional would allow UMNO returns to its previous power.

Clearly UMNO had forgotten the history of how traitors brought down a dynasty or an empire. One can never trust traitors, let alone underestimate their capabilities to betray again. And that was precisely what traitors Muhyiddin, Azmin and Hamzah did during the Sabah state election in September 2020. They backstabbed and betrayed UMNO, supposedly their own ally.

Not only Bersatu and UMNO clashed in several seats, the sneaky Bersatu had even quietly sponsored independent candidates to sabotage UMNO candidates in Sabah. Bersatu had the cheek to even snatch the Borneo state’s chief minister post despite winning fewer seats than UMNO. The power-hungry Muhyiddin is ready to betray everyone, including “Malay brothers”.



Sabah has indeed opened the floodgate of bad blood between UMNO and Bersatu, not that they had ever trusted each other in the first place. The same bad blood would then spill, leading to UMNO conspiring with enemy – opposition Pakatan Harapan – in overthrowing Perak Chief Minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who lost spectacularly in a motion of confidence vote on 4 Dec, 2020.

After Zahid taught Muhyiddin a lesson, snatching Perak state from Faizal, who happens to be Muhyiddin’s second man by virtue of him being the Bersatu deputy president, all hell broke loose. It was a slap in the prime minister’s face. The humiliation must be avenged. But Bersatu, being the weakest among the three Malay parties, lacks grassroots and machinery support

However, as the prime minister, Muhyiddin has something that UMNO does not – access to the national coffers. So, as revealed by former UMNO Supreme Council member Nazri Abdul Aziz, the PM approved a grand plan to set up 8,000 Bersatu branches in 3 months. To speed up the process, Bersatu “steals and buys” UMNO members – offering RM20,000 to establish a branch.



To boost Bersatu memberships, each UMNO member who jumps ship and joins Bersatu will be paid up to RM100. Nazri exposed – “UMNO is really angry with the flower (Bersatu) in Perak because the village head and the local councillor (posts) were given to them even when they have no members. Now, they stole our members, they gave money to our people (to switch sides).”

Yes, the Civil War has just begun. And it appears there’s no turning back based on reports that 143 out of 191 UMNO divisions have decided not to work with Bersatu in the next general election. To start the ball rolling, one of UMNO MPs, all of whom were not known for quitting lucrative positions, has just resigned as the chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

To make matters worse, UMNO’s Pagoh division unanimously passed a resolution objecting to the Johor UMNO leadership’s decision for the party to make way for PPBM (Bersatu) president Muhyiddin Yassin for the parliamentary seat in the next 15th general election. UMNO has started tightening the screw on PM Muhyiddin to force a snap election in March or the latest by June.



The UMNO-Bersatu clashes saw a dramatic twist when Barisan Nasional secretary-general Annuar Musa was suddenly sacked today (Jan 5). Annuar, an UMNO warlord who has been under fire for being too friendly with Bersatu, seems to be in the dark over his termination. The Muhyiddin cheerleader has also been fired as secretary-general of Muafakat Nasional.

UMNO did not expect that not only Muhyiddin is a Malay traitor, but also a thief and a sneaky scumbag who quietly uses cash to buy UMNO members. He is also a liar who has hoodwinked every single UMNO warlords, including the clever Najib himself. The prime minister has no plan to call for a snap election any time soon, despite telling all and sundry that he would do so.

Muhyiddin will only dissolve the Parliament once he is done in draining UMNO resources through buying UMNO grassroots and transferring UMNO machinery to Bersatu. Like a vampire, the Bersatu president is slowly but surely sucking and killing UMNO, the party that has been ruling the country since its establishment in 1946 until its stunning defeat in 2018.



UMNO is extremely desperate now, so much so that corrupt and racist UMNO warlords like Tajuddin Abdul Rahman says UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition could cooperate with opposition Pakatan Harapan – including bitter enemy DAP (Democratic Action Party), the Chinese-based party which UMNO had portrayed for 61 years as anti-Malay and anti-Islam.

Of course, this could be another game of brinkmanship to pressure PAS to make a final choice between Bersatu and UMNO. In the same breath, this could be UMNO’s old trick to extract concessions from PM Muhyiddin with an empty threat of working with the Opposition. But all signs are pointing to a preparation for an eventual exit from Perikatan Nasional government.

Interestingly, there were unconfirmed reports that UMNO leadership has ordered all Members of Parliament to quit their posts in government and government agencies by the end of this month (Jan, 2021), in an attempt to push for a general election to be held as soon as possible. This is yet another sign that the party was trapped when it rushed to join a dubious “Malay-Muslim” government.



Had UMNO deceived Bersatu by luring Muhyiddin, Azmin and Hamzah to quit the Pakatan Harapan government, only to abandon the traitors, a general election that was much sought after by both UMNO and PAS back then might have been held as early as in March 2020. Unfortunately, UMNO leaders, blinded by short-term gains, had underestimated Muhyiddin and his lieutenants.

There could be a new political alignment if UMNO decides to quit. But opposition Pakatan Harapan should not rush to embrace the corrupt party just for the sake of returning to the federal government, especially with crooks like Najib and Zahid run the show. With the possibility of three-cornered contests, it’s actually not a bad idea for the Opposition to go for a snap election.

DAP ADUN who criticised Nga for flirting with UMNO is now blamed for flirting with MCA

MM Online:

DAP issues show-cause letter to Malim Nawar rep allegedly seeking to join MCA

Malim Nawar assemblyman Leong Cheok Keng speaks to reporters during a press conference in Ipoh September 11, 2019. — Picture by Farhan Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 — Malim Nawar assemblyman Leong Cheok Keng who has been critical of the Perak DAP leadership has been issued a show-cause letter by the party disciplinary committee.

Its chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the committee is asking Leong to explain himself over news reports that he has applied to join political foe MCA.

“Under the party constitution, a DAP member ceases to be one if he becomes a member of another political party,” he said in a statement.

He said even applying to be a member of another party is regarded as betraying DAP and that its constitution empowers action against members whose conduct is detrimental to the party interest.

“The Disciplinary Committee awaits the response from Leong Cheok Keng and will act accordingly,” Chong said.

Several Chinese-language news outlets have reported that several Perak assemblymen, including Leong, were planning to abandon DAP.

Malay Mail has reached out to Leong for comment.

Leong had criticised Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming last month during the state mentri besar impasse, questioning the Aulong assemblyman’s readiness to work with nemesis Umno to form a new state government.

Malaysiakini reported Leong saying that Nga’s choice to work with Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi whom he had once described as a thief, was unacceptable.

Book launch not an event to topple the Lims - Liu

Malaysiakini:

Book launch not an event to topple the Lims - Liu

DAP Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Ronnie Liu (above) has confirmed that he will attend DAP veteran Liew Ah Kim's book launch.

However, he clarified that the event has nothing to do with the so-called 'anti-Lims' movement, which is said to be gathering pace within the party.

"I promised Liew I will attend his book launch, but the event has nothing to do with the party election.

"Moreover, when Liew and the organiser invited me, they did not say it is about toppling the Lims," Liu told Malaysiakini yesterday.

The Jan 17 event is to launch a collection of bilingual poems and a memoir written by Liew, who once served as the party national publicity secretary, deputy secretary-general and vice-chairperson.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that as the countdown to DAP leadership election begins, a movement to remove secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and his father, party stalwart Lim Kit Siang, from the helm has been gathering pace.

Malaysiakini also reported that the Jan 17 event may serve as an opportunity for the anti-Lims movement to build momentum before the party election, which must be held no later than June 30.

Ganabatirau won't attend the book launch

According to Liu, he had originally promised to speak at the event.

However, following the anti-Lims movement speculation, he said he is now reconsidering the decision.

V Ganabatirau

"Depends on the situation," he said when asked if he would still speak at the event.

"I will attend the event if it is not cancelled, but I will not speak anything regarding toppling the Lims," he added.

Asked specifically if he is participating in the anti-Lims movement, Liu said the question does not arise.

Meanwhile, Selangor executive council member V Ganabatirau confirmed with Malaysiakini yesterday that he has received the invitation to attend the event.

However, he said, due to other commitments, he would not be attending.

Ganabatirau also said he would not be a part of any movement going against the DAP leadership.

Night of reckoning for PN government - and also Atuk's last chance at being PM again

FMT:

Night of reckoning for PN government

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi chairing his division’s meeting in Bagan Datuk. A total of 143 divisions have called for Umno to stop cooperating with PPBM. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: It’s a night of reckoning for the Perikatan Nasional government when the Umno Supreme Council meets tomorrow, on the crest of anti-PPBM wave.

After 143 of the 191 divisions called for Umno to withdraw its cooperation with PPBM, the meeting may see a call for its leaders to quit the government, a move that could see the collapse of the Muhyiddin Yassin-led administration.

Umno wants an election to be called as soon as possible “to return the mandate to the people”.

The signs are ominous. Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub has already quit as Malaysian Palm Oil Board chairman. Rembau MP and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has also announced that he is ready to quit as minister if the supreme council says so.

Party president Ahmad Zahidi Hamidi himself has reportedly told a meeting with division leaders that all MPs must quit their government positions before the end of this month.

He has since denied it but leaders who attended the meeting say the call was indeed made.

Analysts, however, have urged the leaders to tread cautiously due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian said members are likely to push for leaders to make a final decision about their role in the governing coalition.

“A motion to reject working with PPBM may be the main thing on the agenda. They may also discuss if those in government positions now should continue holding their positions until GE15 is called,” he told FMT.

He said the meeting may see members giving differing views but they need to keep emotions aside and listen to the grassroots.

He said Umno also needed to be cautious to avoid being blamed for the fall of the government during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“(Any wrong move) will have an impact on the public’s perception. They have to be careful,” said the Universiti Sains Malaysia professor.

Although he agreed that elections were the best way to resolve the current issue, he said Umno leaders may want to consider all avenues first such as opening communication channels with the prime minister on their position until the pandemic is under control.

“It is also crucial for them to discuss if they want to be on their own or to strengthen Muafakat Nasional, their partnership with PAS,” said Sivamurugan.

James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute said while it was difficult to predict the outcome of the meeting, there were clear indications that Umno will push for early polls.

“There could be calls for Umno MPs to quit the government and they may formally decide the fate of Annuar Musa,” he told FMT.

The Ketereh MP has been sacked as BN secretary-general and removed as Umno’s representative in the Muafakat Nasional secretariat, but Annuar himself says he has not been told.

Component party MCA also says Annuar cannot be removed without consensus from all partners in the coalition.

Annuar, who is seen to be friendly with PN, the pact between PAS and PPBM, has been under fire from party leaders in recent days.

Chin said Umno was in hurry to hold elections as it still has the upper hand in rural areas and does not want to wait until Perikatan Nasional wins the Covid-19 war, as that will make PPBM stronger.

“Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, on the other hand, may not be in a rush as he has just got the Budget 2021 approved,” he said.

Chin said Umno may also be hoping for general elections to be held at the same time as the Sarawak state elections, giving them the upper hand to work with political parties in the state.

Furthermore, he said, Umno knew that now was a good time to strike as the opposition is weak with lots of infighting.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim are at loggerheads over who will be prime minister if they win, causing a large rift in the opposition.

Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi agreed that Umno supreme council members will push for early polls, stating that it is likely to be on top of the agenda after the 143 divisions rejected the pact with PPBM.

“It is the voice of a large majority. Now, it is about carrying out the consensus into action,” he added.

However, Awang Azman said if today’s decision differs from that of the divisions, it would only mean there was a split between Umno supreme council members and the division heads.

“Furthermore, if they wait too long, PPBM is likely to increase its number of divisions, with money politics to woo experienced grassroot leaders (from other parties),” he added.

In a radical idea, Awang Azman said if Umno works with GPS, PKR and DAP, they would get a formidable majority to govern the country.

“If the four can cooperate, Malaysia will have a strong majority government in the coming polls,” he added.

UMNO 3 talak BERSATU

FMT:

Umno tells its MPs to quit posts

Umno president Ahmad Zahidi Hamidi has reportedly told all elected representatives to quit their government posts by the end of this month.

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno has told its MPs to step down from their posts in government and government agencies by the end of this month, in a bid to push for a general election to be held as soon as possible.

Two division leaders told FMT that party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi issued the directive at a meeting with Umno division leaders at its headquarters here this morning.

A division leader who attended the meeting said Zahid told them Umno had no choice as the Perikatan Nasional government had failed to recognise that the people wanted a change and reforms to the administration.

“Yes, it is true. It was decided at the meeting just now,” said the leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

He was responding to a report by Suara TV which quoted Zahid as telling Umno MPs to quit the PN government by the end of the month.

Another division leader outside the Klang Valley also confirmed the directive.

According to the portal, Zahid had also criticised Putrajaya’s failure to “rectify” the Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim’s case. Adib, a fireman, died from injuries following a riot in Subang Jaya a little over two years ago.

In Sept 2019, the Coroner’s Court established that he died after he was assaulted by two or three unidentified people during the riot.

Zahid was also reported to have said that Umno decided to withdraw its support for PN after the government failed to take action against a minister who is alleged to have had unnatural sex.

Meanwhile, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said any decision on Umno MPs to quit the PN government before February would be finalised during the party’s supreme council meeting tomorrow.

Ahmad, who is also the newly-appointed Barisan Nasional secretary-general, however refused to confirm if Zahid had issued such a directive at the meeting.

“It is just a report, we will bring the matter to the supreme council meeting tomorrow,” he told reporters after the meeting with Umno’s 191 divisions today.

The quit directive comes a day after Umno’s Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub resigned as chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), after just eight months in the job.

It also comes as ties between Umno and PPBM reached breaking point, with leaders from the former openly training their guns on PN over the weekend. Several prominent Umno leaders have called on their party to withdraw its support for the government.

Meanwhile, Ahmad said Annuar Musa had merely been “replaced” as the BN secretary-general and not “fired”.

Annuar has reportedly also been removed as Umno’s representative in the Muafakat Nasional secretariat.

Annuar, who is seen to be friendly with Perikatan Nasional, the pact between PAS and PPBM, has been under fire in recent days.

Yesterday, the Ketereh MP said he was willing to be removed in order to maintain the cooperation among Malay parties and the PN government.

While Umno has turned its guns on PPBM, Ahmad also said the party was steadfast in its decision not to work with DAP.

Asked if Umno would work with other parties, he said there was no discussion about working with PKR and Amanah during the meeting.

“For now, we want to strengthen our ties with PAS and GPS,” he said.

+++

FMT:

I’ll heed Umno’s call, says Khairy on quitting Cabinet

Khairy Jamaluddin says there are differing views in Umno right now but he will abide by the decision of the Supreme Council.

KUALA LUMPUR: Khairy Jamaluddin says he will abide by any decision made by the Umno Supreme Council on the position of the party in the current Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, including quitting all Cabinet posts.

The science, technology and innovation minister said he will quit the Cabinet if instructed to do so.

“If the Supreme Council decides and instructs for Umno members to withdraw (from the Cabinet), then as an Umno member I am bound by that decision,” the former Umno Youth chief said at a press conference today.

The party’s highest decision-making body will meet on Wednesday to discuss its cooperation with PPBM in the PN government.

Sources had earlier revealed that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told all of the party’s MPs to resign from their posts in the government and government-linked companies (GLCs) by the end of the month.

He allegedly made the announcement in a meeting with all Umno division leaders at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) today, in order for the next general election (GE15) to be held as soon as possible.

“There are differing views in Umno right now, just as with any other party, but we stand guided by the decision of the Supreme Council.

“At the end of the day we are a political party and we have to have some form of discipline,” Khairy said.

He added that he stood by the Supreme Council’s decision against working with DAP and PKR, while any future cooperation with PPBM still needs to be discussed within the party.

Commenting on Annuar Musa being removed as Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary-general earlier today, Khairy said the move was at the sole discretion of the coalition’s chairman, Zahid.

“Of course it was within his rights to change the secretary-general. Whether it was fair or not is a political question that will be answered in the next couple of days,” he said.

Anti-Lims sentiment rising within DAP

Malaysiakini:

Cross-generation anti-Lims sentiment rising within DAP

As the countdown to DAP party polls begins, a movement to remove secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, and his father, party stalwart Lim Kit Siang from the helm is gathering pace.

A book launch scheduled for Jan 17 may serve as an opportunity for the anti-Lims movement to build momentum before the party election, which must be held no later than June 30.

The Jan 17 event is to launch a collection of bilingual poems and a memoir written by DAP veteran Liew Ah Kim, who once served as the party national publicity secretary, deputy secretary-general and vice-chairperson.

Liew, born in 1938, joined the DAP in 1966 and was elected as assemblyperson and parliamentarian for three terms, respectively.

He was once a close comrade of Kit Siang. However, in 1998, he teamed up with Wee Choo Keong and Fung Ket Wing against Kit Siang, the then secretary-general.

Nonetheless, the so-called 'Kick Out Kit Siang' (KOKS) movement eventually failed.

As a result, Wee was expelled from the party, while Liew and Fung quit and formed the Malaysian Democratic Party (MDP). Four years later, in July 2002, Liew rejoined the DAP.

Now, Liew is standing for the coming CEC elections at the age of 82.

His memoir, written in Chinese, titled 'Thirty-year drifting in politics', which touches in parts on the 1998 party crisis, is scheduled to be launched at Restoran Loke Fook Moon in Klang.

Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Ronnie Liu, Selangor exco V Ganabatirau, and former DAP member Hew Kuan Yau were amongst the guests invited, according to a source.

Liu and Ganabatirau are both candidates for central executive committee (CEC) positions, while Hew has maintained a certain level of influence in the party despite quitting four years ago.

The book launch was initially scheduled to be held in early December last year, but postponed due to some "unpredictable factors". When contacted, Liew told Malaysiakini that the launch would proceed on Jan 17.

'Power behind the throne'

Malaysiakini understands that after two decades, another movement against the elder Lim is emerging silently within the DAP. However, this time it is not only against Kit Siang but also his son, Guan Eng.

Under the party constitution, Guan Eng must step down from his secretary-general post as he had reached the stipulated three-term limit.

However, speculation is rife within the party that Guan Eng intends to switch to the chairperson position after finishing his term as secretary-general.

Incumbent chairperson Tan Kok Wai has already announced that he does not intend to stand for re-election for the same post, although he will still be contesting the CEC elections.

This declaration added more fuel to the fire, particularly after Hew made several insinuations on his Facebook page.

Former DAP member Hew Kuan Yau

Hew, who is known as 'Superman' and a popular figure among the DAP grassroots, opined that Guan Eng is intending to pull the strings from behind the scenes as the party chairperson.

'Who is the real decision-maker in DAP? By right, it should be the secretary-general, not the party chairperson.

'That's why the party constitution has to limit the term of the secretary-general to three terms or nine years, while there are no restrictions on the chairperson's term limit," Hew wrote on his Facebook page, which has more than 400,000 followers.

Using a metaphor of China's Emperor Guang Xu, whose life was controlled mainly by his aunt, Empress Dowager Cixi, Hew described how Guan Eng may continue to control the party without any term limits after becoming the chairperson.

"We should uphold internal democracy and defend the institutional reform by our former secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock (who pushed for the term limits for the secretary-general post).

“We must also promote a healthy leadership renewal and restrict the desire for control of strongman leader. This is obviously a regression," Hew added.

Last month, DAP veteran Teng Chang Kim also made similar calls. He has publicly urged the Kit Siang and Guan Eng to make way for new leaders.

Teng, who is also a Selangor exco, is currently sitting in the party central committee but has announced his impending retirement from politics and is not contesting the next CEC elections.

Slams the Lim's dynasty since 2001

This is not the first time Teng has urged Kit Siang to step down.

In 2001, three years after the 1998 KOKS movement and shortly before the 13th DAP national conference, Teng had openly urged Kit Siang to step aside at the party election.

"There is a joke circulating in the party. Some people asked whether the chairperson or the secretary-general has a bigger say. The answer is both are wrong.

"The correct answer is in which position Lim Kit Siang is in, then the position has the biggest say," Teng was quoted saying sarcastically.

This was reported by Nanyang Siang Pau in 2001 and recorded in Hew's Chinese book Beyond Dogma and Pragmatism: A Study of the Malaysian Democratic Action Party, which was published in 2007.

Teng had reportedly added that the "DAP should actually be led by the secretary-general. Only when the party’s role is properly performed can the organisation function normally".

"Therefore, whoever is elected as secretary-general, the party should return the power to the sec-gen," he added.

The concerns raised by Hew echo what was raised by Teng almost two decades ago.

Gobind as a preferable successor?

The DAP party election is a two-round process. Delegates first elect 30 members to form the central committee, which in turn elects among its members the office-bearers, including the secretary-general who has the highest administrative power.

The party constitution states that the secretary-general shall hold office for a total period not exceeding three terms.

Guan Eng first took office as secretary-general in September 2004, and his last term was to have ended in 2015.

However, technical issues in the 2012 party election had caused two re-elections. The counting of the office term was refreshed twice allowing Guan Eng to continue in the position.

The party election was supposed to be held by the end of 2020; however, the Registrar of Societies (ROS) has allowed it to be postponed until June 30, 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Previously, the current DAP's national organising secretary Anthony Loke was widely seen as the successor to Guan Eng.

As the party election is approaching, it is speculated that Guan Eng views Gobind Singh Deo as a more favourable candidate, so that he may continue to influence the party by pulling the strings behind the scene.

To date, Lim, Loke and Gobind have not expressed an interest to contest any specific position.

Yet, surprisingly, and sometimes puzzlingly, history repeats itself.

Attempts to topple the Lim's family dynasty failed in both 1998 and 2001. What will happen this time?

Police nak cari pasal dgn orang Tionghwa

Malaysiakini:

Police blasted for 'silly action' on restaurant with Mao Zedong art

The police have been asked to stop their "silly action and harassment" of a restaurant on mainland Penang for displaying Mao Zedong artwork and caricatures.

PKR assemblyperson Gooi Hsiao Leung found it "unbelievably moronic and idiotic" of Umno supreme council member Mohd Razlan Rafii to call for stern action to be taken against the so-called “communist movement” in Penang.

Razlan said the matter is a threat to national security and will cause unrest among the people.

Gooi's remarks follow MCA vice-president Tan Teik Cheng who said the wallpaper at the restaurant, which was raided yesterday, was only decorations and the reaction by the authorities was too harsh and "sensitive".

Saying it happened in his constituency of Bukit Tengah, Gooi rapped the police raid on the restaurant over the caricatures.

During the raid, five of the restaurant workers were hauled in for questioning (two remain in custody), the art was removed, and the restaurant was locked up with the keys confiscated by the police.

"I have spoken to the distraught owners of the restaurant to express my solidarity and support for them and to condemn the barbarous and ill-advised police action," said Gooi after visiting the venue.

Accompanying Gooi was Seberang Perai municipal councillor Ooi Boon Sheng.

"Only in Malaysia can this happen - where we have both overzealous and birdbrained officials and politicians who will equate pop-culture icons with being a threat to national security," he said.

"What next, will the authorities also go after everyone selling and wearing Che Guevera T-shirts or close down the popular theme park Escape in Penang, which my family recently visited, which has a huge Che Guevera wall mural as spreading communism and a threat to national security?" Gooi asked.

The former Alor Setar MP said Hunan cuisine is internationally known as “Mao Jia Cai” (Mao’s home cuisine) as Mao Zedong is the most favoured and celebrated son of the Hunan province.

He added that any sensible person would know that caricatures of Mao in Hunan cuisine restaurants have nothing whatsoever to do with spreading communism.

He noted that the police were ill-advised to act upon baseless grounds.

Police are currently investigating the case under section 47 of the Societies Act for publishing propaganda of an unlawful society and section 505(b) of the Penal Code for making or publishing statements with intent to cause fear or alarm to the public.

"This is utter nonsense.

"The police must apologise to the restaurant owners for all the agony and damage suffered by them and immediately put a stop to this baseless and unwarranted investigation," Gooi urged.

"Please return the keys of the restaurant to the owners so they may resume their business immediately."

Tok Mat: UMNO not out to kill BERSATU, it's BERSATU who's trying to kill UMNO

FMT:

Umno not out to ‘kill’ PPBM, says Tok Mat

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan says he cannot understand why PPBM wants to contest in seats already occupied by PAS or Umno.

PETALING JAYA: Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan has denied that Umno was out to “kill” PPBM, even as his party reconsiders its relationship with PPBM.

Almost three quarters of its divisional leaders have said they would not want to cooperate with PPBM during the next general election.

However, Mohamad argued it was the other way round.

Mohamad said that Umno, PAS and PPBM had agreed to avoid three-cornered fights in the next general election and the decision must be respected.

He said he could not understand why PPBM wanted to contest in seats already occupied by PAS or Umno, and were trying to capture Umno’s “market share”.

PPBM’s intentions had angered Umno and the party could not be blamed for it. “We’re not jealous nor are we out to kill anyone. But it is you who wants to kill us,” he said, referring to PPBM.

“And Umno is not going to remain quiet. As the deputy president, I will fight for the party. Don’t try to spoil our market share,” said Mohamad in an interview tonight.

Mohamad, who is informally known as Tok Mat, had been asked to comment on the status of Barisan Nasional’s relationship with Perikatan Nasional in the wake of the Umno divisions’ rejection of PPBM.

Yesterday, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi revealed that 143 of Umno’s 191 divisional heads told the party leadership that they do not want to cooperate with PPBM for the next general election.

Over the weekend, Umno leaders openly trained their guns on PN, with several calling on their party to withdraw its support for the government.

Umno’s supreme council is to debate a motion on the future of the party’s relationship with PPBM on Wednesday.

There cannot be two tigers on one mountain

DAP’s Ramkarpal says MACC must probe claims of Bersatu ‘buying’ members

MM Online:

DAP’s Ramkarpal says MACC must probe claims of Bersatu ‘buying’ members

Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh speaks during a press conference in Parliament July 22, 2020. The DAP lawmaker said that while party hopping has been normalised in recent months, it was entirely illegal to use cash for this end. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must investigate allegations that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) was enticing members of other parties into its ranks using cash, Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh said.

He said the MACC must urgently examine the claims that first emerged when Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wadji Dusuki alleged that Bersatu has been “stealing and buying Umno members”.

The DAP lawmaker said that while party hopping has been normalised in recent months, it was entirely illegal to use cash for this end.

“Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wadji Dusuki’s claim that he has strong evidence that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia has been ‘stealing and buying Umno members’ is a serious one which merits immediate attention and I wonder if the MACC has done so.

“This is reminiscent of a leaked audio recording of a man resembling now Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin enticing Umno leaders to join his party with promises of positions in the Cabinet and GLCs before the infamous Sheraton Move in March last year.

“Has the MACC taken any action in respect of the said audio recording? It has been nearly a year. I have raised this in Parliament as well,’’ he said in a statement today.

Ramkarpal was referring to a series of leaked audio recordings allegedly of Bersatu leaders discussing early last year how to convince Umno to ally with the party.

In July, Ramkarpal was barred from playing the clips by the Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said on the grounds that the former did not give prior notice to play the recording.

Today, he said the MACC was obliged to launch an investigation even if no report has been made as the alleged enticement was an offence under the MACC Act 2009.

He said Asyraf’s statement alone was sufficient to trigger such an investigation.

Bersatu has since threatened to sue the Umno Youth leader over his remarks.

Now Tajuddin thinks aloud about Umno working with PH

FMT:

Now Tajuddin thinks aloud about Umno working with PH

Umno elections director Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has spoken about Umno’s ties with other parties.

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno elections director Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has not dismissed the possibility of his party working with DAP, PKR and Amanah, saying cooperation with anyone is not impossible in politics.

“Anything can happen in politics,” he said in reply to claims that a new political coalition could be formed between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan.

His remarks come in the wake of a previous statement that Umno would only work with PAS at the coming general election.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said last night that the statement was made by Tajuddin in his capacity as Umno election director. “Obviously the statement was made after he had visited all states in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. I will seek clarification from Tajuddin on what he meant for it to be deliberated in the Supreme Council,” he said.

The Supreme Council meeting on Wednesday will discuss Umno’s ties with PPBM, which have reportedly frayed.

Zaid Ibrahim: Why the silence on Zeti?

FMT:

Why the silence on Zeti, asks Zaid

Zaid Ibrahim has slammed government officials for staying subdued over the allegations against Zeti Akthar Aziz.

Zeti Akthar Aziz has been one of Atuk's macai.

PETALING JAYA: There has been a “shocking silence” by government officials over allegations that former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akthar Aziz’s family members received over RM100 million linked to 1MDB, says a former minister.

Speaking to FMT, Zaid Ibrahim, the former de facto law minister said there had only been a “subdued” reaction from government officials to the revelations.

Recently, MalaysiaToday, a portal run by blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin published a statutory declaration that Zeti’s husband and sons received funds from fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, the mastermind behind the 1MDB scandal.

Zaid said that if the statutory declarations were fake, both Zeti and the law firm involved should lodge police reports against those involved.

The statutory declarations, sighted by FMT, have been certified to be authentic by the company of the attesting lawyers, Shaharudin, Sham Sunder & Partners. The law firm, however, could not confirm the contents of the statutory declarations.

Zeti, however, has denied the allegations.

“It is a very serious matter that requires investigation. The public needs to know what the payment was about,” said Zaid.

“It is not inconceivable that Jho Low could have also paid millions to other senior government officers for reasons only he knows,” he said, adding this raised concerns of foreign influence.

He said this was why he found the speeches of some leaders, who preached about Malay-Muslim unity, to be “nauseating”.

“What can the Malay parties ganging up together do that a progressive Malay-led government cannot?

“Can the Malay parties in the government order a full investigation into Zeti’s case? Will they be able to reform the GLCs and the civil service? Can they make more Malaysians pay tax? Or bring back the goods and services tax (GST) and more revenue to the government?”

The country, Zaid said, needed a set of political leaders who could turn things around, citing the examples of former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein, former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, and former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.

“At the moment, we have leaders who talk a lot but hardly the sort that can provide the solutions we desperately need. All they talk about is ethnic unity, but for what useful purpose?”

He added that the country’s institutions can only be trusted to operate with integrity and in accordance with laws if the heads of such institutions are beyond reproach.

Where are the needed political changes?

Malaysiakini:

Chin Huat chat #4: The times they should be a-changin' - but they aren't

Last month, Malaysians were treated to the sight of one-time foes Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 95, and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, 83, holding a press conference at Parliament and calling for a change ahead of a vote on Budget 2021.

If it was a familiar yet incongruous sight, let’s bear in mind that the pair served together in the cabinet as far back as the first Tun Hussein Onn administration in 1976.

Along with Lim Kit Siang, Anwar Ibrahim, Abdul Hadi Awang, Rais Yatim, Najib Abdul Razak and current prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, they represent a prominent old guard of political heavyweights who has been public figures for at least 35 years. Indeed, Lim and Mahathir were first elected to Parliament in the 1960s.

At the same time, the youthful former minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has broken free of the hegemony and registered his multiracial youth movement Malaysia United Democratic Alliance (Muda) as a political party with predictable obstacles, such as trying to get recognition by the Registrar of Societies, thrown in its way.

“Many Malaysians lament that we don't have leadership renewal, but few probably realise the institutional cause of such stagnation. The problem? Party leaders control their MPs and state assembly representatives instead of the other way around.

“So, to change, a party leader needs a civil war in the party unless the old leader willingly passes on his or her baton. To change leaders more often is to give more elected representatives more autonomy from their party leaders.

"The most important change is to allow bottom-up candidate selection. Next would be to guarantee some room for dissent by MPs or state representatives,” said political scientist Wong Chin Huat in the last of a series of chats with Malaysiakini.

Interestingly, Wong opines that the anti-hopping law which normally disqualifies expelled lawmakers is the last thing we need.

He believes that term limits for prime ministers, chief ministers and the recognition of a shadow cabinet will create room for future leaders to emerge.

“If we don't talk about these reforms, perhaps in the year-end of 2050, another editor will have to ask another political scientist the same question,” Wong wryly added.

READ MORE: Chin Huat chat#1: Dr M wanted presidential power until dying day

The frustration of younger segments of society with the dominance of an entrenched old guard that has led the country into a political stalemate is evinced by the formation of Muda.

“The youth clearly want a bigger voice in national politics and rightly so. But there is little room for a third force based on an age-cohort simply because voters cannot freely vote for the party they want under the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system.

“If Muda runs in whatever constituencies it likes, it will clash with Perikatan Nasional (PN)-BN and Pakatan Harapan. In this situation, Muda candidates are likely to lose their deposits," he said.

Wong called on Muda to engage the Harapan leadership.

“Its best chance is to negotiate with Harapan to replace Bersatu in those urban seats allocated to the latter in 2018. But Muda is then faced with another challenge: how to hang around with Harapan and still keep its appeal as almost an outsider party for frustrated youth?”

Muda is far from the only party whose impact is limited due to the current political system. A small party like Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) does grassroots works, but its numbers at the polls have been underwhelming.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia

“The biggest obstacle to PSM, like in the case of Muda and other groups wanting to be a third force, is an unfriendly electoral system. Supporters for such a party are not conveniently concentrated in a few constituencies to elect their representatives to Parliament and state legislatures.

“Worse, the fear of wasting their votes for choosing unwinnable candidates may lead good politicians like (former Sungai Siput MP) Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj to be sacrificed in strategic voting,” Wong said.

Another roadblock would be the difficulties faced by elected representatives in making actual change for their constituencies if they are not given a position in federal or state government.

“The second obstacle is the inefficacy of lawmakers to change policy or implementation (of a policy) if they are not ministers or state excos. This makes many voters judge MPs by their constituency work and their connection with government agencies.

"This makes PSM less attractive to some voters than parties that are more likely to be in government.

“For PSM to gain representation in legislatures, a little more pragmatism may help but three institutional reforms are what it needs the most," he added.

First, a mixed-member electoral system, with some party-list seats to allow voters to vote for their party of choice directly, will be needed.

Second, legislative reforms to give non-executive lawmakers real roles in shaping policies and laws.

Third, local elections, which would allow voters to choose better control government agencies at the local level and experiment with parties like PSM.

UMNO on verge of breaking off with frog master PRIBUMI PPBM

FMT:

Govt on the brink as Umno-PPBM ties fall apart

The ties between Umno and PPBM, forged to bring down the earlier government, look frayed with most Umno divisions rejecting the pact.

PETALING JAYA: Umno has little choice but to withdraw from the Perikatan Nasional-led administration after a vast majority of the party’s divisions rejected its cooperation with PPBM, but such a move will only hurt the party, say political analysts.

Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Kamarul Zaman Yusoff said the Umno Supreme Council which meets on Wednesday to discuss its ties with PPBM, is obliged to follow the voice of the grassroots.

The severing of ties with PPBM, he said, means Umno will withdraw from the ruling coalition, effectively forcing a snap general election owing to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s wafer-thin majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

“An all-out war is inevitable, but Umno will lose too because some of its prominent leaders are okay working with PPBM and PAS, and they will likely leave or be sacked for not toeing the party line.

“It is hard to believe that Umno can come out unscathed from the exodus of its party leaders, as well as the damage to its image caused by the toppling of a Malay-Muslim government and the forcing of elections despite the rise in Covid-19 cases.” This, he added, would make Umno appear “power crazy”.

Kamarul said he believes PPBM leaders know Umno can no longer be persuaded to remain in government.

“Keeping silent is the best they can do is to ensure that PAS at least will stick with them instead of taking Umno’s side.”

Umno’s withdrawal, he said, would also likely affect other Perikatan Nasional-led state governments, including those led by Umno, effectively triggering state elections.

Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi also said Umno has to abide by the demands of the majority or risk a rebellion from within.

“‘Only a small minority in Umno who are PPBM-friendly are expected to continue cooperating with PPBM until Parliament is dissolved.”

Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia said the Umno Supreme Council must give a clear signal, so there is no doubt about the direction the grassroots want the party to take.

However, he said, the Supreme Council could decide on continuing to support the government until an election to avoid being blamed for forcing an election during the pandemic.

“What is certain is that continued politicking threatens stability, and investor and public confidence as the country’s economy tries to recover from Covid-19.”