Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Zaid Ibrahim - UMNO's loss but will it be Opposition's gain?

Malaysiakini - Umno sacks Zaid!

I am not surprised by the news and I bet so wouldn't be many others. After all, a ruling party's politician attending opposition parties' (mind you, not State or public) events is not exactly de rigueur.

But Zaid Ibrahim might have deliberately done so to prove a point or instigate a reaction that he had wanted. Only Zaid would know why he has attended both the PKR and DAP functions.

His ejection from UMNO is bad on one hand but good on the other!

It’s bad because UMNO does need a decent man like Zaid to put a moderating hand on many of its excesses and lend an enlightening voice to guide UMNO towards a better future.

It’s good for the opposition because it’s UMNO’s loss and their gain.

Will Zaid Ibrahim join one of the opposition party?

… or will he ‘retire’ from the political arena for a while, to await his recall by UMNO? Remember a bloke by the name of Dr Mahathir Mohamed?

… or to make ‘senior statesman’ comments from the sideline? Remember another bloke by the name of Tuanku Abdul Rahman?

It’s difficult to contemplate Zaid retiring for good to focus just on his law business, considerable as this may be, because when there’s politics in his blood, he just can’t (bear to) divorce himself completely from the ‘game’. What more, this man has a brave social-political conscience.

Let’s hypothesize that he joins an opposition party – remember, just hypothesizing because like Dr M, he may well be recalled by UMNO.

Should he join PKR or DAP?

If he wants to join the opposition, on the surface, the odds are that he will join PKR.

But PKR is a one-man party so Zaid may wish to consider whether he wants to become a member of a cult group?

Consider this – when Malaysiakini published PKR caught in a royal dilemma, one of its readers, Marty Lee was given to write in, saying:

Reading this report makes me really wonder whether Anwar is another flip-flop politician. So far to date, he has promised us (the rakyat) a lot but has yet to deliver and has never really given us a straight answer.

On why Sept 16 failed, he has flip-flopped saying first the PM would not meet him. Then he said he can't reveal the names.

Now he says people have signed a crossover list but don't want their names revealed. Once again no solid answers, just a lot of ‘ifs' and ‘buts'.

On the issue of PAS wanting to ban alcohol in Selangor, he said it couldn't happen because it is a state matter but then said it might be good because it will stop teen-drinking. Once again he flip flops.

He can't give us a straight answer. PAS has said that they will try this new law in Shah Alam so why isn't Anwar putting out a firm statement that says ‘No!'?

Now on the issue of the royals, he says, that they should be given immunity but subject to our constitution and laws. What does that mean?

It is another flip flop answer that can go either way. It could mean they have full immunity or that they have immunity but it depends on our laws.
Anwar, why are you trying to appeal to either side? That is not the way of a leader. A leader makes decisions, even ones that people may not like, because it is the right thing to do.

A leader should not make decisions based fear of losing popularity. DSAI is riding on a high of public support but the wave will crash if he does not start acting like a leader should.

Well, Marty has consigned him to the dubious rank of flip-floppers, like AAB. Man man lai.

So … should a man like courageous social-politically conscience-pricked Zaid join such a man man lai flip flopping party?

Really, the obvious choice is the DAP where Zaid Ibrahim can play a far more meaning role.


Yes, the DAP is a party of ascetic monk-like Spartan politicians but which badly needs an injection of Malay-ness (no worries about their Malaysian-ness as they are good upright Malaysians though they should learn to smile a bit more and perhaps even samba sedikit lah).

Zaid Ibrahim should have a leadership role in the DAP where he can transform its non-Malay image into a multi-ethnic one to support the DAP’s already multi-ethnic ideology.

Zaid joining the DAP will be a sea change for the party and for Malaysians.

As I said, the sacking of Zaid Ibrahim is UMNO’s loss and the opposition’s gain.

We wait eagerly to see whether it’s possible for the PKR or DAP to be blessed by his membership.

18 comments:

  1. When Marty Lee (the Malaysiakini letter writer) asked "Anwar, why are you trying to appeal to either side? That is not the way of a leader." it shows he does not understand the concept and principles of inclusive leadership.

    Go listen to the video of Barrack Obama's election victory speech in Chicago - where he appealed to ALL Americans to work with him for the difficult task ahead.

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  2. DAP ? The party's alias is MNW - Melayu Not Welcome. Forget about the few window dressing decorative Malays.

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  3. Not so sure about Zaid joining DAP, LKS just can't stand any DAP leader who may outshine him.
    In the past , there were many capable party's leaders that were purged too...

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  4. Why not PAS? That would seem natural to me... DAP susah la, and PKR, well, I think he won't be doing himself any favors joining the party that was the driving force behind 916. His push for anti-crossover legislation will seem insincere then. kk46 will say there's a bigger picture for which PKR should be supported, and that's true, but ZI made crossovers a really big part of his picture in the recent past so much so that it will be the single most important issue by which he will be judged... and what will he say to reporters when asked if he has changed his mind on the morality of crossovers? Damned if he has, damned if he hasn't, right?

    But if he waits a while before taking the plunge, and spends some time in the "wilderness" like Ezam, pursuing "reforms" from the outside, then anything can happen... so from his point of view, wouldn't that be the best move?

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  5. This is off-topic, but I also agree with "Just said", I think LKS should announce retirement plans, and I guess it's too much to ask for, but I wish Guan Eng had handed the Sec-Gen'ship to someone else so he can focus on Penang... it may seem like at the moment there's noone to pick up the reins, but I think why not Kula? He has been SG before afterall... and maybe with Kula as SG they can bring Teng Chang Kim back into the CEC to really show that the olde feudalism in DAP is crumbling... but alas, there's little sign anything is really changing.

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  6. anon of 9:14 AM, December 03, 2008, when Obama appealed to ALL Americans to work with him he didn't so much flop flopped as being 'inclusive'.

    OTOH, Anwar cakap ta'serupa bikin.

    Reformasi? Mana ada?
    Discipline Zul Nordin? Mana ada?

    etc etc etc as Marty Lee has clearly listed.

    Just said - Lim KS will have to realize (and he might already have) that a mainly Chinese-Indian DAP won't get very far.

    And the DAP being a mainly Chinese-Indian party wasn't due to any lack of any effort by DAP.

    Understandably Malays have been and probably still are wary and suspicious of the party because of (i) UMNO's propaganda (since 1969), (ii) its socialist ideology (suspected as mungkin communist?), (iii) its meritocracy policy (what is there to fight for?), etc.

    If Zaid joins DAP, he will bring to the party a better and deeper understanding of Malay psyche, concerns and aspirations.

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  7. Zaid Ibrahim's inability to fit into UMNO, and finally, his sacking, goes to show how far UMNO has morphed into a narrow-minded, reactionary party.

    Sorry, UMNO, you may survive a bit longer on kampung votes, but if you continue on this path, you may have to learn to love the Opposition benches.....

    Both PKR and DAP have their drawbacks for Zaid. I think he will stay "Independent" for a while, going after pet projects.

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  8. By the way, Ktemoc, Malaysia's 1st Prime Minister was not "Tuanku Abdul Rahman". His name was Tunku Abdul Rahman.

    Tuanku Abdul Rahman was Malaysia's first YDP Agong, also the name of the school I attended... STAR...hehehehe..any old STARian's out there ?

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  9. Political "cheap sale" item, everyone can buy maa...

    Not with DAP, too many lawyers in there, they may end up saman each other.

    Not with PAS either, unless Zaid says good bye to best friend Jack Daniels.

    PKR fits nicely, so many reject products are in there.

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  10. umno has just conspired a very "high-level" espionage.....

    ge13 will be bn rules.....

    you never know aab whispered to zaid "berhati-hati kat oppos, jangan sampai ditangkap..."

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  11. Pakatan dah biasa dah buat benda macam ni. Jadi pusat kitar semula bahan buangan orang. Calon2 yang bermasalah dan ditolak mereka kutip. Kalau dulu mereka kutuk, bila dah masuk Pakatan secara magicnya akan jadi suci murni sesuci lebaran. Hohoho..

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  12. Kay Tee.

    Zahid a blessing? you must be kidding me.
    Good riddance to bad rubbish. Let PKR have another rubbish in its backyard

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  13. "tkemoc said...

    Pakatan dah biasa dah buat benda macam ni. Jadi pusat kitar semula bahan buangan orang. Calon2 yang bermasalah dan ditolak mereka kutip. Kalau dulu mereka kutuk, bila dah masuk Pakatan secara magicnya akan jadi suci murni sesuci lebaran. Hohoho.."

    nice one la here.haha.i'm not suprise when either BN or PR becomes some sorta "recycle bin".but the more hypocryte side goes on to the opposition(PR).remember back when Anwar first got accused of sodomy?the opposition at that time laughed all the way and mocked the fella.but after Anwar joined as an ally with PAS and DAP,now somehow they're "friends" and Anwar no longer looked as "dirty" as before.

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  14. Hati Kecil Berkata....
    This is not a pro-Anwar post, as I've made it clear I'm neutral about Anwar. This is about education.

    The teaching of Science and Maths in English is educationally a failure. In many Sekolah Kebangsaan they are trying to teach Science (in English) by explaining to the students in Bahasa. And the teacher's English is 1/2 past 6. Get it ? If you are confused, the students are doubly confused.

    The fundamental problem IS no effective action has been taken to reverse the disastrous slide in the standard of English in schools in the country. I know everyone from Hisham downwards says they are doing this and that, but NO EFFECTIVE action. And I believe there is no political will to do so.

    If a student has a decent standard of English (and that's the fundamental requirement) there's no problem for them to study Advanced Science and Maths books in English later, even if they learnt the subjects in Bahasa Malaysia at school.

    I have personal experience of this. My kids studied all of their Science and Maths in Bahasa Malaysia at Secondary School, they are doing well in Engineering and Science based courses at Australian universities.

    The difference is they have good command of English, which took a lot of hard work on my part when they were small, no thanks to the school system.

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  15. There is another option other than joining an existing political party.

    He can create one of his own. And extend an invitation to all Malaysians who are disgusted with race-centred politics and endemic corruption that is surely poisoning some political organizations, to come and join him.

    Sulaiman

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  16. Anwar memang lah dewa flip flop. Dia punya flip flop sangat teruk, takda sapa boleh lawan dah, tapi ramai pencacai dia dok sorak bila dia bercakap. Kesian tengok mereka. Apa pun, pemecatan Zaid ini sepatutnya menjadi satu iktibar kepada semua ahli UMNO. Jangan ingat mereka boleh berbuat sebarang tanpa dikenakan sebarang tindakan. Masih banyak cara untuk menyelesaikan sesuatu perkara itu, dengan perbincangan dalaman lebih efektif daripada bising diluar sahaja. Takkan nak senang2 lari daripada masalah je, mana semangat perjuangan?

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  18. Zaid is a man of integrity and one who isn't afraid to walk the talk.

    He was a fine addition to the ranks of UMNO, unappreciated nonetheless.

    And yes, hopefully he joins DAP and injects the much needed malayness into it and make it appealing to all Malaysians.

    As for Anwar... He seems to be unsure of how to play his cards nowadays...

    In the meantime, even stickier glue than Anwar should be sought out to bind PAS, PKR and DAP together. In view of his waning credibility that may cost the coalition.

    cheers!

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