Wednesday, March 19, 2008

PAS's unease as Anwar Ibrahim looks for 30 crossover MPs?

Malaysiakini reported that Anwar (is) moving toward forming new gov't

How will he do that, with only 82 seats in a Parliament of 222 representatives?

On Sunday I posted RM 90 million leap to a dream ... feast?, a sorry tale of frog hunting over in Sabah and Sarawak.

The story I heard was that MPs there could be ‘bought over’ for RM3 mil per.


As the PKR-led coalition has 82 seats all it needs is another 30, to give it a simple majority. More practically 32 would be desirable, with one to be the (supposedly) neutral speaker and one spare in case someone croaks (excuse the froggie pun).

Well, none other than de facto opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim himself announced to the foreign press today he was moving towards forming a new government with the help of defectors from the ruling coalition. Of course according to him, it’s those Sabah/Sarawak MPs who had contacted him to discuss switching sides. ;-)

'Defectors?' I call them frogs but if you like to be more derisive, toads with warts and all.

He announced:
"I don't know how soon we can form the new government but we are moving in that direction."

When I raised this possibility in RM 90 million leap to a dream ... feast?, some readers expressed their disapproval stating the essense of the PKR-DAP-PAS alliance was about being 'adil' or fair. They didn't want lompat-ish slimy frogs greedy for thirty pieces of silver.

Reader Gan, a known devotee of the new alliance, said the end doesn't justify the means and he (or she?) doesn't want to start the new Malaysia tainted with easily bought slime bags.

Well, I wonder whether Anwar Ibrahim shares his ardent supporters' sense of high morality? ;-)


This is what blogger kickdefella (supposedly a PAS bloke) has to say about Anwar’s backdoor stab at the PM’s post:

"Sources from BN and PKR are now agreeable that the loose coalition of the opposition front already have 30 MPs ready to join them. While BN [has] already identified those 30 MPs ..... sources from PKR ... remain silent ..."

"The majority of the people have chosen not to give a 2/3 majority to BN anymore. Nevertheless, they are not ready to give the government to the opposition just yet. Anwar Ibrahim however is not willing to wait for another four to five years."

"He is ready to use all the back doors to turn the table and to form the next government. Anwar’s supporters are understandably delighted with this prospect. However, those who have given their protest votes to the opposition are beginning to worry."

"Those who voted the opposition out of protest against BN believed that it is better for the opposition to use this term to try to neutralise these protest votes and turn them into votes of support in PRU13."

"They felt very much betrayed to know that Anwar is trying to legitimise their protest votes as [a] sign of acceptance for Anwar to be the next PM in these next couple of months."

"While Anwar’s supporters believed that Anwar deserved to be the next PM, because of all the hard work and misery he had to go through, this alone is not a ... democratic way of giving the Premiership to Anwar."

"The majority has chose[n] to retain BN in power with lesser control in the parliament, period."

Exactly what the readers to my blog had felt too.


OK, assuming Anwar goes ahead and gets his 32 kataks, will the PKR-DAP-PAS alliance still hold?

What will Nik Aziz think of Anwar’s shortcut to power? What will Lim Snr and Jnr feel about a PM Anwar Ibrahim who really didn’t win the people’s mandate to form government? More importantly, what will PAS and DAP do? Will they pull the rug out from under Anwar’s feet.


Remember, DAP and PAS together hold 51 seats. These are two parties, supposedly diametrically opposite to each other in ideology, who yet share similar values of integrity and decency.

Will they be prepared to condone the perversion of true democratic principles, process and values by accepting into their fold, unconscionable people’s representatives who would be willing to betray their voters for an alleged 30 pieces of silver?

Kickdefella also wondered about Anwar’s contrasting treatment of AAB-KJ versus Najib – light on his attack against the former while full bore against the latter. Something that's not new, and certainly noticed by many bloggers.

… which makes me wonder whether there is a deal somewhere, considering in recent days AAB looks strangely relaxed while Najib seemed subdued (and also was missing when AAB announced his cabinet lineup).

Kickdefella proposed the following:

"But, if Anwar still prefers to use the backdoor to snatch the government from the choice of the majority, than, BN will have to defend it by revealing everything they have about Anwar."

"Yes, we heard a lot about Anwar but we [have] yet to see the [proof]. At this critical moment in the history of Malaysia, the majority need to know everything if actually there is anything at all."

Well ……..

If kickdefella is a PAS bloke with very close connection to Husam Musa, does his post, actually more like a kaytee-ish anti AI rant ;-), signal PAS unease with Anwar Ibrahim’s wheeling and dealing with Gurun-ish denizens?

19 comments:

  1. Perhaps DAP-PAS-PKR leaders know something that kickthefella doesn't know.

    Come on, this is politics. Among leader of BR, only Anwar are the "boldest"(or crooks most) player in politics. Anwar can indeed maneuver the topics and create havoc inside BN, but also BR. If Anwar did talk of his strategy with BR, then only BN will be affected.

    Bare in mind that it is Badawi mistake that shrink the cabinet size and only give 5 minister post to BN East Malaysia.

    Now Badawi must scratch his head to "calm" the East Malaysia BN. Doing this, he need to either drop some minister head for East Malaysia BN,or create new minister posts. And this mean more havocs await BN.

    ReplyDelete
  2. One time you say I support Anwar, one time you look for the drivel of every ah beng who tears into Anwar. Does this become blog prostitiution or what? There was intellectual prostitution.


    Well, first of all, PAS has no reservation on Anwar. You yourself underlined that statement prior to the election using a Star article and even tried to say he is a PAS man for expediency. Secondly, what did Husam Musa say 3 days ago? "We are hopeful of taking 30 more parliamentary seats to win power." (Star) So? Then?


    Thirdly, kickdefella is a blogger and not a politician that PAS' leadership passes its secrets to and it doesn't to anyone. Hadi Awang and Lim Kit released a statement with Anwar saying Azizah will hold the fortress till Anwar comes on board. What does it tell you?


    There are two important things here: One, Kickdella is a legendary anti-Anwar and has been open about it which I believe he has the right to. Two, he has openly said he is supporting Tengku Ku li, so he wants Badawi overthrown by Ku li in August so that he can rule. In this case, Anwar will spoil that plan because it is him who will overthrow AAB. So he argues against Anwar's plan here, only to fail that PAS is at the forefront of this plan. So his political opinion and liking shouldn't be a basis for what Lim Kit Siang, Hadi Awang and Anwar agree on. I have already quoted Husam saying they are fishing for 30 seats. The 3 were in a meeting all yesterday night and they are working.


    About BN MPs crossing to PKR or somehow PAS and even DAP and Anwar's repeated mention of Sabah and Sarawak, I can say it is a psychological warfare and a distraction. You will be shocked just like Anwar shocked you after the elections though you wrote that "what about if PKR is demolished in the elections" two days to voting, (a wish you did like) that BN MPs who will defect are from Peninsular Malaysia. UMNO is in chaos. Radzi resigned, Rafidah making her own noises. Khir Toyo resigned. Annuar Musa wants to resign. Factions being formed. Najib being sidelined with his gang retreating for counter attack, there are many and million incidencies and you will be shocked how easy UMNO will fall sooner than later. PAS is part of this program. Therefore, kickdefella's liking for Ku li doesn't represent PAS, after all, PAS considers Ku li as a competitor and an enemy who pesters them in Kelantan.

    However, you must look at the petty argument that you have quoted. For example, he says BN will supply 30 seats with Anwar. Surely, does this need any comment? He says Anwar doesn't know the rules and requirements for becoming the PM. I.e, whether through senatorship or Parliament. How petty can one be? It is ludicrous and even calls for sympathy. He says Anwar should wait (off course for Ku li) since the the opposition victory was as a result of protest vote. The question is: which opposition on earth wins without a protest vote? Does a satisfied electorate protest enormously? Such weak arguments can't pin anyone. This is a free world. Let Ku li look for support, let Anwar look for support and let AAB look for support. Then we see who wins, but arguing against one on childish basis is undermining the one one supports, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Politics is a dirty game. You gonna have a game plan if you want to taste power,ask Pairin or Nik Aziz for that matter.

    Anwar is a cunning fox who will do anything as long as his ambition is achieved and for that matter LKS,LGE or Hadi Awang will be very much happy to join forces to form the gomen. LKS & LGE wont regret about it. However,their only drawback is that they dont have the dough to pay those kataks.

    As for Anwar,what more is there to reveal. UMNO did that in 1997/8 thru the court cases.The humilation
    inflicted upon him is just enough to bring down any man,but he survived. So,if there are anything that has to be reveal,then its UMNO & its leaders from Pat Lah to the ketua cawangan. Just mention these words corruption,cronies,power abuses,sex scandals you can find all in UMNO human market.

    cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. kaytee

    if anwar elects to get the PM post thru the backdoor, then he will lose a lot of goodwill. the coalition will break and a short term gain will translate into permanent loss for the coalition.

    ReplyDelete
  5. anon 11:49

    Which coalition will break? You must be in Zimbabwe! Didn't DAP say Anwar is their sole alternative PM? Didn't PAS agree to that and Husam said 4 days ago that the coalition is netting for 30 MPs? Do you think Anwar is alone in this? Sorry, in Zimbabwe, there may be information blackout. DAP supports Anwar 110% while PAS supports Anwar 120%. The coalition that will break is BN. Ours is being formed now not broken. Read today's BR statement. Sorry, blackout again.


    There is nothing called backdoor. If Abdullah can't secure the majority, his govt must fall. That's democracy all over the world. You can rig like Shahidan but if you don't have the majority, then sorry. The question that should be asked is: why would BN MPs join PKR, PAS and DAP rather than remain in BN. It is not about money alone. BN has money. Coruption, sex, concubines and all evil is valid and available in BN. There are other issues friend. How good a cabinet that has Lim Kit and Hadi Awang: The Elders. Karpal and other ISA stalwarts led by all ISA man: Anwar himself. Thats great.

    ReplyDelete
  6. ALL THESE RUMBLINGS ABOUT SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS in obtaining the people's mandate does not hold water -- another 4 years for the BR to hold steady before taking on the legitimate role of government??????

    That has to be the lamest thing ever said
    [1] After 4 more years the phalanx of phantoms voters and the 'black-vote' machineries will be impregnable. The electorall commisioner will have another bag of tricks.
    [2] The recently concluded election would have been won by the BR if not for all the trcikeries.

    SO much for winning elections fairly squarely.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Why are you still hiding behind a cryptonym, Ktemoc? It's a new day, come out of hiding and play! And all that neither here nor there considering is doing your brain in :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. How can one argue that Barisan Rakyat has not been given the people's mandate to form the federal government when it is very evident that BN only won a slim majority due to massive election rigging.

    ReplyDelete
  9. If you guys feel it's OK to eat frogs ;-) then are we any better than those BN snakes - ha ha ha! I can only smile at your justifications for actions that you would have cursed the BN if it was the other way around.

    Suddenly with a "new day" we can now learn to be grubby too ;-) Suddenly we have the audacity to claim the so-called BR has the people's mandate to govern with only 82 seats out of 222?

    Mana kah prinsip 'jaga standards' sekarang, bang?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Definately Barisan Rakyat has the popular mandate. Didn't BR made of only 3 parties win 51% of the natiol vote while BN made of 14 parties win less or the same? Who has the mandate?

    We are a Parliamentary democracy where the word majority represents mandate both nationally and at the parliament chambers. If BN can't secure that, the one who secures that represents the nation. I don't know if your democracy is a different one for that.

    Concerning the allegation made about Anwar and BR, I believe UMNO and BN will not wait for a second to undermine him if they had a single evidence against him. They will have splashed it in NST, The Star, The Sun and all the TVs and rejoiced over it. It is a fact you know unless you want to have a constricted reasoning based on personal feeling towards certain people. There is no need to give money to anyone. Will you suggest to anyone that BN doesn't have money? Who can beat them in pelf? The matter is different and all the decent MPs that PKR, PAS and DAP are looking for will join the government and they don't need monetary rewards as such. But tackling your frog vs snake rhetoric, I will say I better take the frog after all it is les sharmful, edible compared to the poisonous snake that BN is.

    ReplyDelete
  11. JOINT STATEMENT BY PKR, DAP and PAS
    19th March 2008


    Adalah diumumkan bahawa kami Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang dan Ustaz Abdul Hadi Awang pagi pihak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KeADILan), Parti Tindakan Demokratik (DAP) dan Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) bersetuju dalam satu pertemuan pada malam 18 Mac 2008 bahawa hasrat rakyat sebagaimana yang ditunjukkan dalam pilihanraya ke-12 baru-baru ini perlulah dihormati dan dilaksanakan oleh kami dan parti-parti kami.

    Kami bersetuju bahawa kerjasama yang lebih erat perlu dipertimbangkan dengan serius dengan mengambil kira hasrat rakyat untuk mewujudkan kerajaan Persekutuan dan negeri-negeri yang baru dan boleh membawa perubahan-perubahan besar kepada rakyat.

    Kami juga bersetuju mencadangkan YB Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Presiden Parti Keadilan Rakyat, iaitu parti pembangkang terbesar di Parlimen ke-12, sebagai Ketua Pembangkang Parlimen Malaysia yang baru, sehingga Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim layak bertanding untuk kerusi Parlimen "

    Anwar Ibrahim
    Lim Kit Siang
    Ustaz Abdul Hadi Awang

    ReplyDelete
  12. anon 8:39 AM

    That fellow asked the question of the reliability of the rumours being circulated about Anwar and BR in relation to buying BN MPs, then he asked if BN did have evidence, will BN media waited for a second. Well, you are very true. PM Abdullah was yesterday asked whether he was aware of attempts by opposition to buy BN members, he said: "I am aware. That's what I heard people say. I am not saying it. I heard people say and I am just repeating it only."

    Yes, there is no single truth in that libellous claim. It is part of the Malaysian culture of imagination and romours. Abdullah wouldn't have waited if he did have evidence against Anwar. So Kickdefella's claim that UMNO will supply 30 MPs to Anwar is utter rubbish to say the least. It is the height of ingeniuty and naivety indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi KT,
    Have you read Sun Tzu's "Art of War" ? Anwar is conducting psychological warfare and guerrilla warfare against BN, especially UMNO.

    UMNO is actively attempting to destabilise the coalition state governments in Perak and Selangor. TV3, Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian are daily uttering borderline seditious statements trying to get the Malays rilled up with DAP in Penang.

    Of course, these issues should be addressed directly, BUT nothing wrong with counter-attacking in another direction to throw BN off balance.

    This is politics, not the Church , OK ?
    Even in the upper echelons of the Catholic Church, there is plenty of politics, maybe not so dirty.

    PS. I don't support changing the Federal government through intrigues and back-room deals, but continuous psy-ops and guerrilla warfare is necessary to counter the BN sleaze machine.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Cabinet: East Malaysians left out again

    It’s the road down the drain which began with Dr Mahathir Mohammed and now continues with Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. If the trend continues, we are headed for the ditch. Mahathir almost wiped out all internal opposition to his rule including Musa Hitam, Razaleigh Hamzah, Anwar Ibrahim etc.

    Now take a look at this new cabinet, look at the number of East Malaysians who hold key cabinet positions - they are almost totally absent. Hasn’t East Malaysia delivered to the Barisan Nasional? Aren't there good and dynamic East Malaysians (Pairin to name one) who could contribute effectively?

    Without the East Malaysians’ help, the BN would have lost this elections and yet the MCA has more key positions in the cabinet than we have East Malaysians. Key Ministries need to go to the East Malaysians too but the defence, home, foreign affairs and education portfolios have all gone to Umno.

    It is time the defence and home affairs portfolios go to Sabahans and Sarawakians for a change; aren't they Malaysians as well? Why is it they get only a smattering of the cabinet positions?

    Now let’s take another look at our cabinet. Several have been dropped but you have Muhammad Muhammad Taib being brought into the cabinet by the back door. Why was Muhammad not given a seat to contest in the first place if there was intention to bring him into the cabinet?

    Why bring him in through the back door? Everyone knows that ‘Mike Tyson’ would have knocked out any opposing candidate in his constituency. But he was not given a seat at all and I would like to think that this was in line with the thinking of the day that all those whose integrity was blemished should be left out.

    The same reason why the all powerful Zakaria Deros was also dropped from the BN Selangor line up. But now, the bringing in of Muhd Taib through the back door only indicates that Abdullah had run out of options - having dropped all the people in his cabinet who did not share his views, he needed someone to fill in the gaps.

    Anyone who has the slightest inkling of what leadership is will surely tell you that this is one of the weakest traits f a leader - not accepting the views of others especially his own men.

    The appointment of the present cabinet indicates a huge problem not for Abdullah but for the country. The choices of the man at the helm do not seem to give us the confidence that they are the people who can deliver.

    http://malaysiakini.com/letters/80106

    ReplyDelete
  16. "I don't support changing the Federal government through intrigues and back-room deals, but continuous psy-ops and guerrilla warfare is necessary to counter the BN sleaze machine."

    Yes, I agree whole-heartedly! I hope (and I give the benefit of the doubt) that Anwar is doing all this only to keep reminding UMNO that they are one really bad decision/act away from losing Federal Government. It's good to keep the pressure on them.

    But I also fear that, as a human, Anwar may be provoked by Mahathir's "Anwar will never be PM" challenge, just to show the old man up, to take the easy AND UNJUST route. I pray he is not that weak.

    ReplyDelete
  17. "... just to show the old man up ..."

    ;-) Anwar wants to be PM because he wants to be No 1, full stop! And time may not be his side as he is getting older.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I hope yapchongwee will start his own blog to rail against one judge, rather than spam here ;-) I've deleted his non thread comment

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Kaytee,

    No doubt I am a supporter of the coalition but cannot lah be classified as a "devotee" - brain still able to think independently.

    And I also no "ardent" supporter of Anwar but I believe he is in best position to cripple BN at the moment.

    Because being NOT a "devotee" able to preach morality but if jadi "devotee" - ikut apa lah leader cakap or buat saja - without questioning, semua bolih tak kira moral atau immoral.

    Seriously, politics like what every body says - is a dirty game.

    So I guess when you are in to win - it's a tough decision and a man has got to do what he has got to do by fair means or foul. If foul better tighten loose ends so that action never comes back to haunt forever. Got to learn from VK Lingam and CSL's mistakes lah.

    P.S. Maybe we should believe Anwar that no money is involved for the potential defection? All the defectors are doing it out of goodness from their heart - Demi Negara? (I can see kaytee sniggering)

    ReplyDelete