Will Kajang provide a surprise?

TMI - BN boleh menang DUN Kajang, kata Pak Lah

you know, in 1987 he was on winning Team A while I was in Team B
16 years later I became PM while he .. heh heh .. ta'usah sebutlah ... heh heh
I'm NOT as sleepy as you may think .. heh heh heh

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berkata Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim bukanlah halangan besar untuk Barisan Nasional (BN) menawan kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kajang pada pilihan raya kecil 23 Mac itu.

Katanya, BN boleh memenanginya jika berjaya menjelaskan isu semasa yang dibangkitkan terutama daripada pembangkang.

Good lord (wakakaka), can it be true that Anwar Ibrahim bukanlah halangan besar untuk BN menawan kerusi DUN Kajang pada pilihan raya kecil 23 Mac itu? [not a major obstacle to BN winning the Kajang state seat in the by-election?]

But everyone is assuming it'll be a walkover for Mr Manmanlai. Even RPK has in his post The Palace Power Play written:

Anwar Ibrahim is going to win 80% of the votes in Kajang, says the Pekida veteran, a hardcore Datuk Harun Idris man since way back before 1969.

Considering that almost 50% of the Kajang voters are Malays, 40% Chinese and 10% Indians, this prediction may be true after all. With the Chinese mobilised behind the Dong Zong and the Indians recharged by Waytha Moorthy’s recent resignation from the government and his condemnation of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, it appears that Anwar may be able to sail in with a much larger majority than what CC Lee won in May 2013.

Is it possible the unthinkable may happen?

Of late, Anwar Ibrahim has been accused of Ops Lalang. Technically that's not true as Dr Mahathir (then PM and Home Minister) was the person who okay-ed the police launching the pre-emptive sapu-semua-masuk-lokap dragnet but only after MCA Minister Lee Kim Sai was coincidentally away in Australia for holidays, wakakaka.

Lee's then-bete noire, Ah Jib 'Tee' (at that time not yet 'Gor', wakakaka) was of course UMNO-teflon-ized and needn't take any holiday leave abroad, wakakaka.

hello there, isn't that Chandra Muzaffar 2nd from left?

But it must be truthfully said that Anwar was the man who started the education ball rolling towards its acrimonious fiery climax resulting in the draconian Ops Lalang when he as Education Minister initiated a policy that, in the perception of worried Chinese parents and teachers [correct or otherwise], threatened vernacular education and thus the future of their children.

Thus it could be said he or his ministerial policy brought the Chinese together, wakakaka, achieving the unheard of 'Chinese unity' for an elusive illusory moment of glory but which turned out to be substantially ill-fated for quite a few people, wakakaka.

All political parties that had vast interests or investments in the Chinese community, like MCA, Gerakan, SUPP, DAP and other Chinese-based parties saw no alternative but to congregate together with Dong Jiao Zong* at the Shaolin (wakakaka) Hainanese Association Building, beside the Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, to protest against what they saw as the vile policy of then-Education Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

* comprises both Jiao Zong (The United Chinese Schools Teachers' Association) and Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees' Association)

the humble Shaolin Temple
 the one not razed by Manchu troops
(there were 2)

Mind you, today Dong Zong wants Anwar to (as reported by FMT) "... help to resolve the issue involving the donation of a 100-acre campus land in Sepang to New Era University College which has been delayed for 14-years.

Yap also hoped that Anwar would allocate land of at least five acres for the reinstatement of the Yu Hua Chinese secondary school, and ensure that higher education institutions under the Selangor state government would recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) of Malaysian Independent Chinese secondary schools."

Do you think Anwar will say 'yes' or 'manmanlai'? wakakaka.

After Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh and poor Chandra Muzaffar plus many others were served free nasi kari kosong in Kem Kamunting, Dr Mahathir explained the necessity of Ops Lalang as (words to the effect) Chinese history had shown that it bode no good when Chinese parties gathered together at a temple to protest against the government.

the not so humble Thean Hou Temple in KL
Malaysia memang Boleh lah, wakakaka

Though the Chinese political parties and Dong Jiao Zong had actually gathered at the Hainanese Association Building, it was the Thean Hou Temple next door that was seen as symbolic of Chinese rebellion.

Dr Mahathir was of course referring to the Shaolin Temple as a centre of rebellion (or sanctuary for rebels) during Qing (Manchu) dynastic rule. Hmmm, I wonder whether in saying that he was a kungfu movie aficionado or a well-advised PM, wakakaka.

Okay, the BN campaign to discredit Anwar Ibrahim in the eyes of the Chinese voters in Kajang continued with stories of his involvement in the May 13 incident. Though I'm well aware of him being the UMNO Education Minister whose education policy lit the fire that led to Ops Lalang, I have to admit I haven't heard of his involvement in the May 13 incident before, therefore I have nothing to say on this.

But if this story were to find traction with the Kajang Chinese, especially the middle age and elderly group, then he could be in trouble ... at least with the more senior Chinese.

From all these stories about Anwar and his past relationship with the Chinese now emanating from BN, the crucial element for victory in the by-election seems to be the key Chinese voters, who once again find themselves in an awkward kingmaker's role, one which they dread and don't want (for fear of annoying one old man and the 'apa-lagi-Cina-mahu' group, wakakaka).

Whatever, BN has now thrown the kitchen sink at him as well, in the unlikely person of Ibrahim Ali.

Ibrahim Ali claiming he was speaking in his personal capacity and not as the Perkasa Chief has not only voiced his support for MCA's Chew Mei Fun but played on Chinese feelings as can be perceived in the following Malaysiakini report Why Chinese sacrificed in Kajang:

I like Chinese lah ... er ... during my off office hours
or Boss will be marah one

wakakaka

According to the former Pasir Mas MP, a Chinese candidate was “used” by PKR to trigger the by-election to solve the party's internal issue when there are other Malay candidates who could have stepped forward. 

“The question is, why was (Kajang incumbent) Lee Chin Cheh the one chosen to resign (to pave way for a by-election)? Why not Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyperson Azmin Ali?

“Why sacrifice the Chinese as tools? Azmin is also a state assemblyperson and he is also (PKR de facto leader) Anwar Ibrahim's strongman. Why didn't he make the sacrifice?” Ibrahim asked.

Actually I have to admit I had asked that question myself more than two weeks ago in my post The ‘Kajang Betrayal' and Princess Diana (also as a letter to Malaysiakini) though it wasn't so much about a Chinese giving way to a Malay, but more about Azmin Ali sitting pretty comfortable in BOTH his Gombak and Bukit Antarabangsa seats for all his big talk about the imperative of someone in PKR making way for Anwar to gain access into the Selangor DUN. I posed it in a wakakaka way as follows:

NGO Bersih has criticised the Kajang Betrayal, and so has its former chairperson, Ambiga Sreenevasan. Human Rights lawyer Edward Bon has been incensed by it. PAS Youth was livid with rage and earlier on vowed not to support Anwar’s candidacy in Kajang, while Selangor PAS has started to stake out their claims on the MB post. 

The list of unhappiness over the Kajang Betrayal goes on, while constitutional lawyers have their days discussing, dissecting and displaying their knowledge on the federal and Selangor state constitutions.

Now consider an alternative scene which would have avoided all the brouhaha: PKR consulted PAS and DAP. The resignation was announced at a Pakatan (and not PKR) press conference immediately following a PKR assemblyperson’s resignation.

The PKR assemblyperson who had volunteered to resign was Azmin Ali of the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat. Azmin Ali explained his noble self-sacrificing decision as only giving up a state seat while still remaining a federal member of Parliament (MP) for Gombak and where he would continue serving the people of Bukit Antarabangsa in his capacity of MP. Lee Chin Cheh would not have been required to abandon the people of Kajang!

Alas, that was not to be. I wonder why? [admittedly writing this with a smile].

But it does tell us, nay, remind us of the way PKR acts unilaterally and then would label those actions as being of Pakatan Rakyat provenance, presenting both DAP and PAS with fait accompli they dare not reject for fear of a disunited coalition.

Today the ‘Kajang betrayal’ is only about a state constituency and probably the MB position of Selangor. What happens tomorrow when Pakatan Rakyat does eventually rule in Putrajaya?

BTW, has anyone in Kajang receive an 4-Ekor from Princess Diana, say, like 916? wakakaka

cuba 916, okay?

Then we are told by none other than the Royal MB, Khalid Ibrahim, in the Malay Mail Online that Leaderless Selangor BN no threat to Pakatan, where he said the BN "... is still licking its wounds from the general election and unlikely put up a strong fight in Kajang."

"At the moment Datuk Seri Noh Omar is still struggling to get his team together. At the moment I do not see leadership.”

Political analysts said Khalid with these words has written off any possible challenge in Selangor by BN. 

Now, doesn't this just whip the rug mightily off from under Anwar's feet, effectively undermining the excuse given by Mr Manmanlai and his inner coterie, namely the Razzler-Dazzler Embellisher and the Disquieting Døkkálfar Dwarf, that the Kajang Betrayal was vital to forestalling a pending UMNO ferocious takeover of the State Government.

And it might have also put paid to the preposterous warning raised by Mr Henny-Penny from DAP who informed us: 'Goodness gracious me! If Anwar doesn't win in Kajang, the sky's a-going to fall down on Pakatan; I must go and tell the king.' Wakakaka.

But seriously speaking, does AAB have grounds to be so confident that Anwar can be stopped in Kajang?

Let's look at fz.com's Does Zaid have secret backers in PKR? Why don't you read this up yourself, wakakaka.

Now, some pro PKR media and my visitor looes74 have of course excoriated poor Zaid Ibrahim for his wish to stand as a candidate in the Kajang by-election. But Jong a reader of The Ant has written in to support him and has succinctly pinpointed the real reason behind PKR's Kajang Betrayal in his letter Silly to suggest Zaid is looking to ‘kill’ Anwar in Kajang. I take pleasure wakakaka in reproducing his letter to The Ant here in full:

I disagree with your statement that Zaid's looking to "kill" Anwar and "…hoping to please the BN, and perhaps gaining tenure and stipend in the armies of the ruling coalition…" You sound silly and ridiculously dramatic!

Whilst I defend Zaid Ibrahim's right to contest in the Kajang by-election, I don't take him seriously other than for the attention and an opportunity to a platform to be heard, to speak his mind on the many issues that had upset him for many years. We recall he was sabotaged in the 2010 Hulu Selangor by-election and the PKR party election allegedly by arsonists from within.

After Zaid left the party, Azmin Ali successfully managed the deputy president post and has since been gearing to root out Khalid Ibrahim from the MB seat which he had been eyeing for a long many years. Anwar recently confirmed he had never promised Azmin the MB seat. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

Like many, Zaid wants to prevent this happening the best he can, to make sure Azmin does not get his way again with the help of Anwar who has not been decently kind towards the MB even in full public view.

For Zaid to take this role upon himself in a “comeback” in favour of Khalid Ibrahim, shall we call that -- A friend in need is a friend indeed? Politics -- it's so unpredictable, isn't it? They say in war you can only be killed once, but in politics, many times!

Kajangites/Selangorians going to the polls must make sure "a vote for Anwar is not a nod to remove Khalid Ibrahim from the MB seat", or to be construed as such?

The people's mandate must not be taken advantage of, to twist and to favour some blue-eyed boy's political ambition!

Døkkálfar Dwarf, wakakaka

Aha, Blue-eyed boy! Hmmm, I wonder whether I can claim credit for being the first Malaysian blogger to label a certain someone, wakakaka, AI's 'blue-eyed boy' in the way someone once told me I was probably the first to use the term 'cybertrooper', wakakaka. Well, if not, I know I can claim another as a first, to wit, the Døkkálfar Dwarf, wakakaka!

But once again seriously speaking (or writing), is Anwar now in trouble with his prospects of being elected as the ADUN for Kajang?

And as I had written earlier, this might have been the reason why the EC had dragged its feet in announcing both the nomination and the election dates for the by-election, an unusual EC action which brought severe criticisms from Ambiga Sreenevasan.

Time after all is required to discredit a popular candidate but one who carries too much baggage from his UMNO days.