Monday, October 06, 2008

UMNO 4-Ekor?

Malaysiakini in In for a hectic week as PM decides poses a lot of questions on UMNO’s coming party election.

First and foremost is whether AAB will go, though the majority of political pundits think he will. But Dr M reckons he will not.

Second and more interesting than the above is whether Muhyiddin Yassin will go for broke and contest the No 1 position rather than the deputy president post as 'shotgun' to Najib, which many have already accepted as a virtual fait accompli in the same manner as they've reckoned AAB will step down for good.

Thirdly, as a bit of a sideshow but nonetheless quite intriguing is whether Ku Li will face a déjà vu by leaving UMNO to join PKR, as is now rumoured.

Let’s discuss the third case first. With the current belief that AAB will go in favour of a Najib-Muhyiddin leadership, Ku Li knows his last stab at UMNO No 1 post is virtually as good as lost, sadly forever.

With AAB now touted as the sacrificial goat to be sembelih (ritual slaughter) at the altar to appease the Ketuanan Melayu ideology for his unforgiveable leadership responsibility for the last general election ‘disaster’*, the UMNO caucus and membership may be mollified enough to grant Najib a honeymoon period to show his leadership mettle.

* in arrogant avaricious assessment, still considered a ‘disaster’ despite the BN coming out with 140 seats in a 222 seat parliament

And Dr M may be expected to stop his undermining campaign once his blue-eyed boy is PM. So, where does that leave Ku Li?

Both Star Online and Malaysiakini have told us that Ku Li just had a tête-à-tête with Pakatan Rakyat leaders, including Anwar Ibrahim, Abdul Hadi Awang and Lim Kit Siang. Where Anwar Ibrahim is concerned, UMNO smells froggie danger.

Ku Li he said the meeting had been 'in the context of old friends meeting up', and that he had met the Opposition leaders in his capacity as a statesman – wow!

This has been the part which made a sweetie laugh rather sweetly, when Ku Li claimed the PR leaders had ‘sought appointments to see him for discussions over the country’s future’.

Ku Li did a man man lai stating: “As a statesman, I am open to meeting all politicians, regardless if they are from Barisan Nasional or Pakatan. This is especially crucial when we have to steer in a storm of political and economic uncertainties, made worse with global issues such as the US financial meltdown.”

I wonder whether Anwar had offered him the No 1 spot if he crosses over, with Anwar accepting the No 2 spot in a new PR government ….. well at least for a short while ;-)

Theoretically it’ll be a coup of sorts for PR if Ku Li walks across. Maybe some UMNO MPs may follow, though of course Anwar will be hoping for a tsunami.

The argument for Ku Li walking across will depend on his presidential prospects within the old party, but once he senses he has been left by the wayside he may feel, at his age of 70, he has nothing more to lose if he joins PR.

What about Muhyiddin? With a far younger Najib holding UMNO’s No 1 position he won’t have a chance in hell of ever ascending to that post and the PM-ship, save if Najib stumbles or the BN loses badly in 2013.

If he challenges Najib and loses, the consequences will be fatal for his political career a la Ku Li.

No doubt Dr M had earlier encouraged him to ‘go for it’ but I suspect that was within the context of his (Dr M’s) frustration with Najib for not being assertive enough to openly challenge AAB. Perhaps Dr M had believed that a wee nudging by ostentatiously switching his backing (temporarily) to Muhyiddin might give Najib a scary shove to his backside.

Najib is just not that sort of person to 'openly' challenge someone (unless he is a Chinese wakakaka), but that doesn't mean he hasn't been manoeuvring, manipulating and machinating Machiavellian-ly within his party.


Now that it appears Najib will be taking over shortly (though Dr M still suspects AAB may yet have something up his sleeves to stall that), I reckon Dr M’s provisional support of Muhyiddin has passed its ‘use-by’ date.

Anyway, does Muhyiddin have the numbers? Or, as has been suggested, will he team up with Ku Li to challenge Najib? Ku Li at 70 gives a far brighter career prospect for 61 year old Muhyiddin.


Perhaps Ahmad Zahid’s surprising announcement of his candidature for the No 2 job has been a warning shot across Muhyiddin’s bow, that he (Muhyiddin) will be better off by remaining as Najib's partner?

There is of course a new bizarre conspiracy theory, that Zahid, once a very close political colleague of you-know-who, and who was detained under the ISA for speaking out for that person, could well be a ‘sleeper’ wakakaka. Da? Nyet?


Zahid's rapid ascendancy in UMNO from political pariah to political power within 10 years surely must be a testimony to his political ability, manoeuvrings and connections.

If in that remote possibility of him becoming the new No 2 in UMNO, and assuming he has been indeed a ‘sleeper’, will he bring back you-know-who?

kaytee believes that even if the preposterous conspiracy theory of Zahid being a 'sleeper' has some substance, the overriding reality is that there’s no long term loyalty in UMNO or for that matter, any political party.


Just ask Dr M, Ku Li, Ling L.S and they would tell you that such is the nature of the political beast where it’s every man for himself (sorry if I leave out the ladies but look upon it as a compliment rather than an insult).

Thus if Zahid becomes the new UMNO No 2 by one shot in a million, he’ll be definitely preparing, promoting and presenting himself for the No 1 position rather than worrying about an old association which in the last 10 years had already crossed far too many bridges.

9 comments:

  1. well written, KT. The realm of possibilities, especially on Ku Li case seems positive.

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  2. On the contrary, I think this is just exactly the gossip talk that is going on in any ordinary coffee shop.

    Nothing special about most of your blog posts, Ktemoc. Where's the value-add?

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  3. Racism is the key to the political survival of UMNO, MCA and MIC. Recently, PAS is also flirting with it by singing Islam-Melayu eventhough Malays are not the only Muslim in this country. In any country, the small area urban economy is always more vibrant and competitive compare to the large area agricultural economy in the rural region which is less rewarding. It is the same in all parts of the world and in any type of government. Any success in building a progressive economy, whether urban or rural, will depend on the economic vialbility in that area. Therefore the backwardness of the rural Malays is not the doing by others. It is natural economic evolvement. But to propagate the politic of race, the race-based political parties will make loud calls to the people of their own race that they will need to protect and defend their right and survival against their fellow citizens of other races as if the others have taken away their wealth. No one owe us a living. We work hard to try to survival and succeed. But the raced based politic makes use of discriminative measures among races in the name of redistribution of wealth to the agony of the citizens. It segregates and disunites the population and misleads them to believe that there will be chaos if such race based policies are not implemented to the satisfaction of certain group. After 51 years, is there still a big gap between rural and urban economy? Of course there is, because this a natural economic evolvement, unless the country imposes absolute communist economy. Even China failed to continue that. To bridge the rural disadvantage, the natural phenomenon is a rural migration to seek for better opportunities in the urban centers. Again it happens everywhere in the world. So for the race based politic to lay blame on others for the predicament of the rural Malays in their economic backwardness is a misplaced notion but a political expedience. Unless these race based political parties carry out the necessary reform to open to all Malaysians, their narrow and selfish political objectives will destroy this country in the face of global challenges.

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  4. I love UMNO
    You love UMNO
    Lets just live and let live...
    We all live in a yellow submarine...

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  5. The problem with everyone of these individuals who you have talked about is that their view of what is best for the country has themselves somehow providing the impetus for what is best.

    There does not seem to be any objective or goal that any one of them can stand up on which is independent of them so that if not them, then anyone else can take on and run with it.

    Let us forget about everything. Just take the Rukun Negara for instance. If that sets for us a common goal or identity, can they all not set out their strategies for achieving it?

    Considering leaving UMNO might also be an option for Razaleigh, isn't it sad that politics in Malaysia is about individual ambition rather than what is good for the country?

    Muhyiddin's options open to him are not exactly complimentary of him as an individual. Obviously he does not have a political philosophy to talk of. Well, he can of course comfort himself that no one really has one when you are part of BN.

    If he had any principles at all it would be easier to predict the pathway he will take. Obviously not among his priorities is the character or the person he partners with. With all the baggage Najib carries with him, Muhyiddin's willingness to be his deputy does not bode well for him as he obviously has not learnt the lessons his mother would have thought him from young. Have we all not been told by our parents not to be friends with or play with the bad boys from the neighbourhood? With the kind of reputation and stories, true or not, told of Najib, do you think your mum would approve playing with him?

    To even contemplate the possibility of joining forces with Najib simply means whats best for the country plays second fiddle to whats best for Muhyiddin.

    As for what is good for the country, leaving aside the proponents, Pakatan offers the best option. Razaleih will do well for coming on board to give this option the boost it deserves. Does not matter that he might be seen as a traitor or a betrayer of a cause. But realy, what cause?

    Ktemoc, fair enough you don't trust and you dont support Anwar. That is fine. But surely the objectives for the country set out by Pakatan over what Barisan promises is surely a no brainer as to which is better. And that is how I will lend my support.

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  6. Interesting thoughts. My 2 sen...

    Muhyiddin is not PM material la; everyone knows that, Muyhiddin himself probably knows that. He is a less likely candidate for PM than even Ghaffar Baba was. I think Muhyiddin just sees this as an opportunity to cement his place in UMNO folklore as one of the forces that brought change to UMNO.

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  7. Old Fart

    I tend to agree that some of these politicians are thinking of their personal ambitions rather than what is best for the country. But I completely disagree when you claim that PR offers a better future than BN. The reason is simple and no-brainer. When one is in the position of no responsibility and authority, obviously the person can promise the moon and the stars to win the damsel's heart. Once when the wedding and the honeymoon is over, then the party comes to a grinding halt.

    Although all these individuals display obvious self-interests in aiming for the PM post, none can come near the GSOS in taking a single-minded and destructive pursuit of power at any cost.

    If you notice, despite their obvious interests all these UMNO leaders have generally adopted a civil attitude. However, on the other hand the GSOS' determined to achieve his goal even though it would destroy the economy and the racial fabrics of the society.

    I think many people have failed to read the situation in UMNO correctly. Muhiyiddin has been saying that he was content to be a VP for a long time now. However I believe he has been persuaded by the powerful pro-Mahatir group who paired him and Razaleigh as a tag team to challenge AAB and Najib. Now that AAB likely to leave, I don't think there is any need for Muhyiddin to partner with Razaleigh.So that's why Razaleigh is trying other options outside UMNO since his own support base is too tiny to mount a serious fight to Najib.

    What he might try do now is to form a breakway party like Semangat 46 and try to work with PR folks.

    BTW, I am still waiting for the GSOS to take action against Zulkifli Nordin. And I am also waiting with bated breath for the parliament to open so I can see how many MPs does the GSOS really can muster for a vote of no-confidence. It will be the moment when the Emperor will be finally revealed to be buck naked....

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  8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  9. I deleted pistolair's comments as they were too libellous - making all sorts of accusations, which may or may not be true but which I am not prepared to have on my blog as I cannot defend myself against a suit when there's no evidence whatoever. Besides this guy is spamming anti Najib messages (another G.A.N?) - hey, go post them at RPK's blog.

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