The Man who would be King

"... I once came near to kinship with what might have been a veritable King ..." 

- Rudyard Kipling in The Man who would be King.

The title of this post is not what I had originally penned it, namely, The Man who would be Assistant to the King, but I consider it too long and thus cumbersome as a post heading. I decided to keep it short as per the Rudyard Kipling story, though you should bear in mind it's not about The Man who would be King but rather The Man who would be Assistant to the King, of course all these with apologies to Kipling, wakakaka.

In this post, kaytee will soon play Sigmund Freud* to Khalid Ibrahim (wakakaka), in order to analyse why he (Khalid, not Sigmund, wakakaka) is behaving or rather, misbehaving in a democratic sense in his refusal to vacate the Selangor MB's position when instructed by his party, yes, his own party PKR.

* Sigmund Freud had another side to his fame which most Jews wish to hide, wakakaka.  Freud was the probably the first man, the first Jew in modern times, to point out that the Jews' greatest prophet-hero, Moshe (Moses), he of the 10 Commandments and the Parting of the Red Sea, was NOT a Hebrew NOR an Israelite, BUT an Egyptian.

BTW, PAS should not get a hard-on at this stage (wakakaka) because Moshe though an Egyptian was NOT an Arab nor a Muslim like most of today's Egyptians.

Anyway, as I had written before I have never taken to Khalid Ibrahim as a Pakatan leader in the way I have to blokes like Nizar Jamaluddin and Mat Sabu. In my eyes, his only redeeming point has been that he was probably better than The Dwarf, wakakaka.

Actually, when I saw how he handled the Grand Saga road toll debacle just a mere 4 months after the tsunamic March 2008 general elections as MB Selangor I was disgusted by his bourgeois mentality, more so when Tony Pua (DAP) criticized his refusal or reluctance to act for those Cheras residents who voted for him (Khalid). Pua stated:

"It is critical that the new state government demonstrate political will and determination to stand for what is right and just, without fear or favour, instead of wavering in uncertainty or adopting a “we will look into it” or “we will have to discuss further” culture which is reminiscent of the previous Barisan Nasional government."

"It is of great concern that Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had qualified his statement on the “right of use” by saying that the state government must also take into consideration that the toll is the source of revenue for the company."

Yes, Khalid Ibrahim was more concerned about revenue for the toll company than the rights of the Cheras residents.

In an earlier post My 3 strikes out for Khalid Ibrahim I had incorrectly said (bold lines):

I didn't like Khalid Ibrahim from the beginning - sorry, correction to that, not from the very beginning when he was the PKR candidate for the Ijok by-election in 2007 but during the Grand Saga toll fracas just after he became MB Selangor.

After re-checking an earlier post about the Ijok by-election in 2007, specifically post Ijok – proxy war, paradox and predictability I realize dear olde socialist me had started to dislike him almost immediately (even before the Grand Saga toll debacle) because of PSM's aversion, antipathy and animosity towards him. In the mentioned post I had written:

Another difference to the typical Malaysian politics of David versus Goliath was that in Ijok the BN put up a Davidic candidate whilst PKR a comparative Godzilla.

But unlike the movie Godzilla, size didn't matter because Khalid Ibrahim’s high profile in fact turned out to be a liability. He has been unfortunately remembered by Indians with a decided lack of fondness or respect. An unhappy PSM had reminded most local Indians of Khalid as an unfriendly Guthrie towkay. This has been another departure from the typical opposition versus BN scenario, where the opposition candidate is usually the underdog hero.

Yup, Khalid Ibrahim was remembered by PSM as 'an unfriendly Guthrie towkay', so why should silly me expect him to act sympathetically towards the people of Cheras in the Grand Saga road toll debacle, when I should know by then a bourgeois like him would of course be more concerned about the road toll towkays, thus with him stating the state government must also take into consideration that the toll would be the source of revenue for the company.

Not quite playing Sigmund Freud yet, wakakaka, we can make an intelligent summation that Khalid Ibrahim is at heart a businessman, even a very good one, but in reality a bourgeois type big towkay who is not suitable as a politician because he (I guess) can't see himself as a people's representative (that's what a politician actually is) but in the main a businessman.

Thus he would have difficulty understanding that as a member of a political party (PKR), which also is a member of a political coalition (Pakatan), he has to govern the state of Selangor together with his Pakatan ADUNs and in accordance with political dictates and objectives.

But I suspect he thinks that as MB he's still the CEO of a big conglomerate, like PNB or Guthrie, where he is not beholden to his co-managers but only to his stakeholders, where I suspect he doesn't consider the conglomerate's stakeholders are the people of Selangor. I'll come to his "stakeholders" in a while.

But from here we may begin to understand why he had made big decisions on the state water issue, Kidex etc all by his lonesome self, while his exco (ADUNs from DAP and PAS and even PKR) have complained they weren't consulted. Now, why the f**k would a CEO consult lowly managers when he's confident of his decisions, wakakaka.

To this bloke, ADUNs would be inconvenient individuals, managers at best, and not the people's representatives, while he as the State CEO runs the state and thus, indirectly represents all the rakyat of Selangor, not that I suspect he cares much about the last issue.

It's just the way I suspect he has been, a pure business CEO and not so much of a people's representative. That's his professional DNA and upbringing.

Khalid's pathetic pseudo-presidential declaration, when criticized by his Pakatan ADUNs for not listening to them on state issues, that he 'listened to criticisms from the people more than from party leaders and politicians', so riled DAP's Gobind Singh Deo that he 'urged' (a polite euphemism for 'f**king demand', wakakaka) the Selangor MB to bloody well clarify that statement.

Gobind went as far as to say Khalid had made a "very serious statement, which may have serious consequences", meaning Khalid either knew f**k all about democracy (parliamentary process) or had deliberately ignored the democratic process!

Gobind said: "Khalid must not take things for granted. I ask him to respond and clarify matters."

In fact I suspect Khalid might not be even conscious of the fact that he has been nominated to be MB by Pakatan (not just the mere elected ADUNs) but by the parties' top leadership. Thus, in his (I suspect) lack of understanding of the party process or democratic process, he doesn't see his obligation to step down when told by his party to do so.

When DAP leaders went bonkers and tore off what little patches of hair they had left because of this politically bizarre and obdurate man, and condemned him as dishonourable in insisting on staying as MB despite losing the confidence of his party and the majority of the Pakatan pact, they were just pissing in the wind.

Yes, they were because Khalid Ibrahim does not see himself as a politician who has to abide by the rules of democratic politics. He doesn't understand that because, as mentioned, he doesn't see himself being nominated by Pakatan to be MB of Selangor. His conviction of his right to continue in his CEO position has most unfortunately been further strengthened by PAS' Pak Haji Hadi Awang's naughty support of him.

As I've joked about it before, he, without support from his own political party or as a renegade to his own political party, by insisting on remaining on as MB in a Pakatan ruled state, has become a rare avis, not unlike a unicorn or a chimera.

But then who would be his "stakeholders"?

This is where I put on my beard to become Sigmund Freud, wakakaka.

In my earlier observations of Khalid Ibrahim, perhaps in 2007 when he was parachuted into Ijok as Anwar Ibrahim's personal choice to stand in that state by-election, much against the wishes and advice of many Pakatan and pro Pakatan Indians, I recall in one media interview he was asked about Dr Mahathir, perhaps even measured against AAB though I have to admit I can't recollect the latter bit well.

Anyway, when he talked about Dr Mahathir I sensed he was very much in admiration of the former PM, in fact I would say, rather over effusively, wakakaka.

In one particular topic he mentioned how well and how fast Dr Mahathir could read a thick file and grasp the issues within, and with just that quick scan, could then even recommend the structure and layout of the contents, like, moving this 'part' to there and that 'part' to here to make it read better. If you don't believe me, either check this bit out in one of the media archives or even ask Khalid himself, wakakaka.

It has to be said that Khalid Ibrahim would have been one of the better performing Malay executives that Dr Mahathir had groomed and wished for. Both rose to prominence around the same time, in the early 80's. Dr Mahathir would have been immensely proud of this Towering Malay who in his capacity as CEO PNB succeeded in his dawn raid for the majority of Guthrie holdings. They would have been on close professional if not personal terms.

Khalid Ibrahim thrived under such relationship where he was a reliable executive under No 1, and perhaps even a close professional confidante. He would have have found strength in such a situation and saw the former PM as his "stakeholder" to whom he was responsible. Khalid Ibrahim was thus The Man who would be Assistant to the King (at least on corporate matters).

Look, Khalid wouldn't/didn't want to be King because (and that's where I become Sigmund Freud once more, wakakaka) he either didn't relish such a post or he must have felt he couldn't/shouldn't be in such a position.

Then, Anwar Ibrahim came on to the scene to became the powerful Finance Minister and also DPM, and at times even acting PM. Well, I needn't tell you that unless he was an UMNO man, he wouldn't be able to hold those posts. That's a reminder of where Anwar had been, for 16 years, and during those long years, had you even heard anything about reformasi from this then very powerful man? Wakakaka.

But let' return to Khalid Ibrahim, the subject of this post. Obviously Khalid in his high corporate position as a shining and Towering Malay corporate boss would have had close dealings and contact with Anwar, at least in the business of PNB if not personally. But we also know that Khalid joined PKR because Anwar asked him to, so their relationship must have been more than just official or professional, to wit, they were probably very close friends.

Again, Khalid Ibrahim would have thrived under such a relationship where he played his role, that of a reliable executive under No 1 (Anwar as Finance Minister, DPM and PM-designated would by then have been No 1 to him). They were, as mentioned, professionally and probably personally close confidantes. No doubt he must have have found strength in such a situation where he saw the former DPM/Finance Minister as his "stakeholder" to whom he was responsible. Khalid Ibrahim was thus The Man who would be Assistant to the King (at least on corporate matters).

Wakakaka, by now you would know where I am leading you to!

But wait, just a wee (and not totally unrelated) digression - remember when Zaid Ibrahim urged him to challenge Azmin Ali for the No 2 PKR position but he remained silent and very quai quai, because as mentioned, he was The Man who would be Assistant to the King, namely his dear de facto PKR Boss.

It has to be said that in recent times Anwar Ibrahim hasn't treated him as well as manmanlai could have. How can you humiliate a man like Khalid Ibrahim openly in the unilateral reinstatement of Azmin Ali as a director of PKNS, by Anwar who holds no executive position either in PKR or Selangor, and then followed that up by the so-called Kajang Move (openly declared as a move to get rid of Khalid as MB) and still expect him to play the submissive, obedient and cooperative subordinate or friend.

By then, as I had blogged on a number of occasions, Khalid Ibrahim has also found a new No 1, wakakaka.

Anwar by his rather cruel humiliation of Khalid Ibrahim was no longer seen by Khalid as his old No 1 as in their happier days in UMNO or under UMNO aegis, or even in earlier PKR days.

So can we now understand why Khalid had been reluctant to take action on those confiscated bibles? And why should he when according to his perception he should listen to only his No 1, the "stakeholder" of the Selangor State conglomerate - you know who, don't you? Wakakaka.

Mind, his job hadn't been made easy by the editor of the Catholic weekly Herald, Father Lawrence Andrew who declared that churches in Selangor would continue to use Allah in their Bahasa Malaysia services, this immediately after HRH passed a fatwa prohibiting the use of the 'Allah' word by non-Muslims in Selangor - Oh, those priesthood caste of Kassim Ahmad, wakakaka.

So, Khalid has already found his 'enlightenment', a new No 1 after Anwar Ibrahim had attempted to discard him.

And in this, hasn't Khalid only recently and very openly promised HRH he won't leave and will continue to serve as MB as long as his services are required?

Without getting into the sort of war-gaming as to who would be the one who needs his service, as discussed in a FMT article, shall we just say that once again, Khalid Ibrahim thrives under such a relationship where he can play being a reliable chief executive under No 1 (HRH).

No doubt he must have have found strength in such a situation where he sees HRH as his "stakeholder" of, most gnam gnam, the State of Selangor, to whom he is responsible. Royal MB Khalid Ibrahim is thus (again) The Man who would be Assistant to the King.

Has Zuhdi Marzuki lost himself?

TMI - It was only a study, Zuhdi says of contentious WhatsApp texts

The PAS research centre operations director said the screenshot of his analysis on the WhatsApp group, which had gone viral, was based on the proposal of a senior PAS leader who had put forward a motion for PAS to leave the PR coalition.

"The discussion which was leaked was my response to members of the WhatsApp group who had asked me to present a 'scenario analysis' about the proposal by a PAS leader to leave PR.

"The motion to leave PR was strongly supported by not less than 10 members in the WhatsApp group, many of whom are close to (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim," he said in a statement, adding that he was not one of the 10 who had supported this motion.

I will come to his above words later, but for now, it's obvious that non-PAS Pakatan people are worried at the thought of PAS leaving Pakatan (as expressed by Lim GE two days ago), but they weren't angry because that's PAS' right to do so.

But what truly pissed them off had been Zudhi Marzuki's racist tainted proposal. Though I don't think highly of Rafizi Ramli after his stupendously stupid Kajang Move, I have to admit he summed up Zuhdi Marzuki's nasty bomb best with his statement (reported by TMI):

"What is the disciplinary action to be taken against Zuhdi, who had suggested a treacherous proposal, going against the agreement inked between PAS and Pakatan and the people who had voted for PAS and Pakatan?

"We want to know how many from the PAS central leadership hold such racist and anti-democratic views like Zuhdi."

If Zuhdi wished to propose a scenario for PAS leaving Pakatan and joining UMNO in a brand new coalition, that's his and PAS' democratic right, but did he have to say words like what was reported by TMI, as follows:

More distressingly, the tone of the conversation was blatantly racist, reported the portal, with Zuhdi saying that his scenario would return political dominance to the Malays and allow them to check "DAP and non-Muslims".

"After this, if DAP and non-Muslims make noise about the Allah issue or raids, we can just swat them away".

"At the end of this year just change the borders to return all the Malay-Muslim political power."

Wow, We can just SWAT them!!!

Okay then, let's now discuss his words.

For a follower (and thus fearer) of Allah swt, he talked about gerrymandering, namely, the changing the electoral borders to return all the Malay-Muslim political power. Yes sirree, this so-called Allah-fearing man has proposed to gerrymander a la the EC, and with such racist overtones.

Frightening to imagine how many more like him are in PAS? What if PAS comes to power as a future federal government?

The EC under UMNO would be a kindergarten compared to their version. No, on second thoughts I will be proven wrong as under a PAS federal government there won't be any more EC to make comparison with, wakakaka.

Aiyoyo Ama, for such a so-called Allah-fearing Muslim, he could bring himself to propose such ugly tactics and used such racist words. Obviously he appears to be without understanding of the universality and noble principles of Islam where racism is in fact anti Islam.

For hundreds of years, so-called 'untouchable' Indians in the subcontinent found solace in Islam because by becoming Muslims, they were able to free themselves from a horrendously evil persecutorial bondage by another system which punished them (and still does) on the lottery of their births. That's what Islam stands for! Even an atheist like me knows that.

wakakaka

But wait, why should we be surprised by the bitter bad blood beliefs & behaviour of Zuhdi Marzuki?

Do you know who he is (or who he associates with) besides being a PAS central committee member?

Two months ago, I wrote that Zudhi Marzuki, the Chief Operating Officer of PAS Research Centre, was photographed together with ISMA leaders when ISMA made a bigoted statement to the press about Indians and Chinese being brought into Malaysia by the British to weaken the Malay identity and undermine the community’s birthright to peninsular Malaysia on the pretext of multiculturalism.

Zuhdi Marzuki (second from right)

Then I had ask:
"Is he an Islamic promoter or a ultra Malay nationalist promoter?"

But now we know!

If we put his ISMA association within the current context of his racist proposal to his PAS central committee mates, we can understand why such a person would spew un-Islamic bigoted comments. It shows he is more of a Malay ultra than a Muslim scholar.

But even then, does a Malay have to have such racial feelings in their heart for others in order to be an ultra, an ethnic nationalist?

Thus it was not just a mere study or scenario-rizing as he had attempted to spin his racist words away. By his ISMA association and that NGO's record and trend of public statements against non-Muslims and non-Malays, it indicates that his words of 'swatting DAP and non-Muslims' have been based on his political proclivity and personal position.

I wonder why some supposedly learned Muslims in Malaysia seem to not understand the universality of the noble ideals of Islam when I, a non-Muslim and an atheist at that, do, admittedly in a very small way, but certainly much much more than them?

PAS plans to team up with UMNO & Khalid Ibrahim

Malaysiakini - Leaked PAS message: Team up with Umno in S'gor

This has to be the beginning of the end of Pakatan.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all Malaysians

Ketupat - quintessentially Malaysian

PAS' support for Royal MB will lead to PAS' loss

Malaysiakini - Latheefa Koya mocked as 'lawyer datang bulan'

You would imagine that comment of 'lawyer datang bulan' coming from one of those menstruation-mesmerized motherless monkeys, but no, it was made by a woman, Arfa'eza Abdul Aziz, who is press secretary to Khalid Ibrahim.

From that, we can surmise that Khalid and Latheefa aren't exactly the best of mates, wakakaka.

Blogger The Mole reported that Latheefa has resigned as Petaling Jaya City Councillor (MBPJ) due to bad blood between her and our Royal MB, apparently over her criticisms of him on quarters for squatters and that he was mulling (the word used by The Mole) over sacking her from the council's post.

Anyway, Latheefa, a PKR central leadership council member, commented on Khalid Ibrahim's out of court settlement with Bank Islam, where it was pointed out that details of the settlement remain scarce or scanty until today.

Latheefa said: "When a person has a RM66 million headache, he can cut a deal in many ways. He could have been declared bankrupt, but he made his deal. He was told politely to leave - he fought back shamelessly."

She also walloped him kau kau with this: "Here's a guy hanging on to a seat without mandate from his own party. Thanks to him and his deal, Selangor saved enough money for BN to spend after they take over."

Note again Latheefa's comment above: "Here's a guy hanging on to a seat without mandate from his own party".

That's why Khalid Ibrahim should be considered a very very very rare political creature, not unlike a unicorn or a griffin or more probably a chimera because the last has three heads (lion, snake and goat) - perhaps one supposedly of PKR, another of PAS, wakakaka, and the last ... well, you can guess it by reading Latheefa's statements again.

Thus, where Khalid Ibrahim stands politically today, as a PKR or PAS or UMNO member, I have to confess I haven't the faintest, though I can assure you he's not a DAP member, wakakaka.

Theoretically he's still PKR though for all intents and purposes he's not .. nay ... no longer with them in ideology, purpose or kaam-cheng, wakakaka.

Look, as I have blogged previously and Latheefa just confirmed, his party wants him to vacate the MB's post, but he has refused, and even defiantly (or arrogantly?) challenged them to get rid of him by standard procedures, meaning through a House vote of confidence.

But that's a process only used by the other side of the political fence, which no doubt makes you wonder about his so-called PKR membership, wakakaka.

He knows that in Selangor's 56 seat DUN, he's assured of PAS' 15, UMNO's 12 and his own, making that a gnam gnam 28. So come and get me, says he, wakakaka.

But wait, are all 15 PAS ADUNs in the Ulama or Youth camp? If there's a couple of Erdogens, that may mean Khalid won't have all 15 PAS ADUNs behind him and thus lacks the minimum 28 to preserve his chimera hide.

PAS no doubt is in turmoil over this, but I wonder why PKR hasn't yet expelled him on disciplinary measures? 

Sadly, PAS under Pak Haji Hadi Awang and its Youth Division haven't helped the political impasse among Pakatan allies by playing treacherous renegade, and have fostered anger, suspicions and resentment among PKR and DAP for PAS.

Lim Guan Eng has emerged to warn that Pak Haji Hadi Awang's non-Pakatan decision to back Khalid will see the eventual disintegration of Pakatan.

The Malaysian Insider's editorial has alluded to PAS' likely monumental loss in the next general election if Pakatan were to break up:

Here is a silver lining to that dark, brooding cloud called the Khalid Ibrahim leadership crisis in Selangor: it is forcing the professionals and moderates in Parti Se-Islam Malaysia (PAS) to face one question they have been studiously avoiding since GE13.

What would happen to their political futures if Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang were to get his way and steers PAS away from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and back onto the narrow road of conservatism and religious and racial chauvinism?

flying in competition or together?

The short answer: as many as nine parliamentary seats in Selangor, Kedah, Perak and Pahang won by PAS candidates in GE13 will be lost in the next general elections.

The PAS candidates only won these seats because of strong support from the non-Muslims. With Hadi leading the party and taking it out of the PR stable, this non-Muslim support will evaporate like a drizzle of rain in the hot, dry season.

The end result: the likes of Khalid Samad, Hanipa Maidin will be staring at political oblivion. And PAS will revert to being a rural-based political party with some influence in Kelantan and Terengganu.

That is why the professional class cannot afford to hug the sidelines or be apathetic about the final decision the Pas leadership will make about Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's future as the Selangor Menteri Besar.

And I suspect that has been why PAS' Mat Sabu had said (last week, I think?) that PAS should not take up the Selangor MB position as it will lead to a Pakatan defeat in the state.

While I have never trusted PAS (though I like Nizar Jamaluddin, Mat Sabu and a couple more), I have always wonder why PKR has been the Pakatan member which has the most number of problems with members like Khalid Ibrahim, Zul Noordin, Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin, Nasarudin Hashim, etc etc, the list goes on and on.

total f**k-up in every state, even in its stronghold Selangor

Its internal strife continues to delight BN while it torments Pakatan people. Does it not bespeak poor leadership? But what other factors would be there to invoke its long suffering from continuous centrifugal vortex?

Moon and the Unicorn in Selangor

TMI - Hadi’s backing for Khalid risks Pakatan break-up, say insiders

No doubt music to Najib's ears, but let's have a look at the current Pakatan imbroglio, thanks to Rafizi Ramli's 'brilliant' Kajang Sh*t.

RPK narrated in his Selangor's Watergate a malodorous cesspool tale of a potential naughty humongous flow of money, which I have to say, being bloody biased wakakaka, I have found plausible, more so when it's not challenged.

Water, saliva, wet dreams, all gushing away like an explosion of premature ejaculations, wakakaka.

From that story of alleged unmitigated grubbiness, should we then consider Khalid as like the 300 Spartans, valiantly holding back the hungry hordes of Huns Persians at the gates of Selangor's Thermopylae?

Have we wronged this man as a villain when he could well be a hero?

Mind, there's never any doubt that Khalid has been a effective and efficient CEO of Selangor, but we need to ask, is this man a suitable political leader, a people's representative, one who would consider the voice of the people rather than just play at being CEO of a private 'firm'?

Look, last year in October, when PAS and DAP ADUNs joined PKR ADUNs in criticizing him for his refusal or reluctance to spend more of the state's savings on development in the state, where instead he was alleged to just uselessly hoard the surplus in the state's kitty, he pompously and presidentially but pathetically responded that while he was opened to criticisms from any leader BUT that he cared more about the feedback he received from the public than from 'other leaders'.

So, to Khalid, ADUNs had been inconvenient individuals and not the people's representatives, while he 'presidentially' and directly represented all the rakyat of Selangor.

His pompous but pathetic pseudo-presidential declaration so irated DAP's Gobind Singh Deo that the latter 'urged' (a polite euphemism for 'f**king demand', wakakaka) the Selangor MB to bloody well clarify the statement that he 'listens to criticisms from the people more than from party leaders and politicians'.

Gobind went as far as to say Khalid had made a "very serious statement, which may have serious consequences", meaning Khalid either knows f**k all about democracy (parliamentary process) or has deliberately ignored the democratic process - ya, that's why he's presidential, wakakaka!

Gobind said: "Khalid must not take things for granted. I ask him to respond and clarify matters."

Thus the burning issue about Khalid has not been so much about his ability as a CEO nor about his perceived kedukut-ness (being a tightwad) in managing the state funds as a MB, but about his terrible failure to understand that in a democracy, the ADUNs are the ones who represent the voice of the rakyat, and not just a presidential MB.

Therefore the ADUNs should be listened to, and not to some 'special voice or voices' ringing in his ears or head, wakakaka.

But he seemed to have indicated his erroneous belief (pointed out by Gobind Deo) when he indirectly dismissed or diminished the importance of the inputs of the ADUNs and his party's leaders by preposterously and pompously claiming he listened more to the people than to the ADUNs, ...

... leading us to of course ask him 'who have been HIS people he listened more to? All the rakyat of Selangor? Or at least all those in Pakatan-held state constituency?'

It would be as if he has said he is NOT answerable to the state DUN and its ADUNs, the official, legal and democratically-elected voice of the Selangor rakyat.

Thus we have witnessed in Khalid Ibrahim's attitude seemingly a loose cannon in a Westminster style democracy, one who has now even defy his own leaders, of his own party and of his own coalition, to 'come and get me out if you can', leading us to wonder which party he belongs to?

Okay, we have a situation where Khalid Ibrahim is perceived to be non-corruptible (and good on him for that) but alas, one who also doesn't listen to anyone from his own party or his own coalition.

Can such a situation in the latter be allowed to continue? If the answer is yes, then we don't actually have a democracy nor the prerequisite party discipline necessary for the survival and strength of a political party.

Besides, is there such a unicorn-like creature as a MB or CM or PM without a party in a Westminster style democracy? This would be as nonsensical as the story of the unicorns which missed getting on board Noah's Ark.

And a new burning question now also confronts political observers: what is PAS Pak Haji hadi Awang up to when some of his own party leaders have been shocked by his decision to defy Pakatan consensus and back Khalid Ibrahim (virtually a man belonging to no party) to continue as a Pakatan MB for Selangor - see the Malay Mail Online's Hadi's support for Khalid is not PAS's stand, says Mat Sabu.

Is Pak Haji the moon that gives light and magic energy to Selangor's unicorn?

Add caption

As I asked in my previous post: will the centrifugal actions of Khalid Ibrahim and now also by Hadi Awang see the Ragnarok for Pakatan?

********

ADDENDUM: From The Malay Mail Online Why I think Khalid Ibrahim must be replaced - Iskandar Yaacob

JULY 26 — I rarely want to write about my political opinion. I did once, a reply to Nathaniel Tan during the Kajang Move. My friend told me that Nathaniel wrote a reply in his social media account. I don’t bother to have one because I am too old for that. But I feel that I have to write one more time because there is a continuation of the Kajang Move happening right now — an effort to replace the Menteri Besar of Selangor.

Although my earlier article is actually to support Anwar Ibrahim as the candidate for Kajang by-election, I am aware that later he was replaced by Wan Azizah, the Keadian President, which is also his wife, after the doubtful effort made by Attorney General to bring his court case earlier.

I think it is naïve for people to think that Anwar, the Supreme Leader of the party should only be a normal state assemblymen or EXCO. To me, he was named to replace Khalid. From what I heard, Khalid demanded Azmin Ali to vacate his seat. Not sure whether it is true or not but if it is yes, I think the clash between them is real. But it is not fair for Khalid to demand that.

The fact that Wan Azizah was chosen to replace him in Kajang by-election is enough to tell us that the move was actually to replace the Chief Minister, so it must be a senior party leader (Azmin Ali is the next after the President and he is already a state assemblymen for Bukit Antarabangsa). Although I admit that Khalid himself doesn’t hold any senior position in the party except as the state chairperson in 2008 before he was replaced by Azmin.

But why?

I think this is one big question must be answer by Pakatan, especially Keadilan leaders. If they fail to do this, we can expect many silent protests in the next General Election and perhaps, BN will be back in power. It will be tough because Pakatan spoke highly, and understandably, about Selangor prior to 13th General Election. Everything, in politics, is almost about perception.

As a Selangorian, I also think Khalid is good, definitely better than BN’s leader and all BN’s Chief Minister before 2008. But he is not the only good leader in my eyes. To be frank, if not Anwar or Wan Azizah, I believe that Azmin Ali is also capable to be the next Chief Minister, or even PAS and DAP leaders. I am not sure whether Khalid’s supporters want to make it clear that Selangor Government is a one man show government — everything is about Khalid and he is the only one that made decision all this while.

Let us make it clear now. Khalid has to be replaced because he is not a team player. He decided everything on his own and people expecting all party leaders and members to answer for him. I saw this becoming worst when Faekah was appointed as his political secretary. Perhaps Faekah is not the one chosen by party, but by Khalid himself for his interest. Faekah was a former political secretary to Wan Azizah so Khalid wants to show that he got the support from the President. I am not sure whether it is true or not but I am reliably informed by those close to Khalid that Faekah seems to hold too much power in his office.

One can guess how powerful she is when Khalid had to appoint another two political secretary to replace her. And now she is the CEO of Menteri Besar Incorporated, a new position with much greater salary (I heard that her salary now is nearly half a million a year, excluding bonuses). Is she the one who advised Khalid not to attend weekly central party leadership meeting and to ignore decision made by his party?

We must see clearly the unilateral decision made by Khalid when he signed the agreement with Federal Government regarding the water restructuring. The stubborn answer made by Faekah, pretending that they are rushing because the State Government just knew it at the very last minute clearly shows that she think that we, the people of Selangor, are too dumb. She also said that the State Government had already briefed the coalition representatives earlier but the truth is the briefing was done after the signing. How come the State can brief earlier when you said that you only know about the signing of agreement at the eleventh hour?

Khalid and his adviser’s attitude do not just affect his party but also affect the coalition although I can safely say that his party suffered the most. Don’t let this ruin the coalition. My advice to PAS and DAP, don’t let this man use your party conveniently for him to stay in power. He might be a good man, but power can corrupt. The absolute power that he is telling us from his action and reason such as he is from Bugis clan, the same with Sultan (implying that he is using that to hold on power) and disrespect that he shows to his party that bring him to the top position is simply showing us that he is beginning to be corrupt. Help him by replacing him.

Not free from weaknesses

In my response to Nathaniel Tan, I praised Khalid for his achievement but also remind that he is not free from weaknesses. Whether his weaknesses is big enough I can’t speak on behalf of the others but I have my own opinion. I think it is fair for Pakatan leaders to discuss and come to their conclusion. And even Khalid has no problem at all, he should respect that process.

If we follow the Selangor political developments closely, I think there is not so much news about Selangor BN. Perhaps, that makes Khalid very comfortable. I was not surprised at all when first heard that many of his party leaders don’t really like him. I thought that it just politics. But the case against him is slowly come to my attention.

First, when I read about his case with Bank Islam, I was quite shocked. One can access related legal documents online to check the truth about what I am going to write. Many talk about the amount of money involved, a much reduced settlement for him and out of court settlement. I am not expert in the banking sector but to read that Khalid r-e-p-e-a-t-e-d-l-y breach the agreement with Bank Islam give me some sense when I recalled a claimed made by my friend that he promised many things to people be it party leaders or ordinary people but never delivered. Even Anwar is not spared. And now he is saying that he want to stay in power because he has unfinished promises to deliver to the people.

Let me recap my first article. I wrote that, based on credible research, Khalid would have lost if he stayed in Ijok because he didn’t deliver to the constituents of Ijok. That is why he moved to Port Klang. . I have been told that Khalid didn’t use his allocation as the state assemblymen during the first three years in the last term. Only when the research showed he is going to lose, he began to spend his money. Is this the unfinished promises that he is talking about right now? Now what is wrong with spending the money to help the rakyat: to pay for mosquito fogging operations, to clean up drains, provide some service for the many poor people in the estates and the kampungs in his constituency?

You may think that it doesn’t affect you but the truth is, Khalid’s failure to serve the rakyat in Ijok ultimately contributed to the loss of Dr Dzulkefli Ahmad, a progressive, moderate member of parliament from PAS for the Kuala Selangor Parliamentary seat. As a result, the rakyat has lost an important voice to counter the likes of PERKASA and ISMA in the public space.

Since then, I am now informed that the people in Port Klang is beginning to see the other side of Khalid. Although Port Klang is near to Shah Alam compared to Ijok, it is hard to see him around. Although now with his job under threat, Khalid has appointed Faekah with the responsibility to take care of the constituency. Perhaps the job as CEO of MBI is not big enough to make her busy. Doesn’t he have anyone local in Port Klang that he can hire to help him there? Or is it because she likes power and wants to show it to party members on the ground?

There are many other issues that we raise about Khalid. Zulkiflee Sulong has already written a good opinion piece in his column in The Malaysian Insider on what is the real problem with Khalid that public doesn't see, or perhaps clouded by propaganda from state machinery. Ultimately the public must realize that Khalid wasn't just appointed to become Menteri Besar to show how frugal a state government can be, he was appointed to showcase the values and vision of Pakatan Rakyat over Barisan Nasional - that it could be prudent in spending but possess the courage and foresight to invest in the rakyat - by solving problems and delivering better solutions to their problems. 

Selangor was also meant to lead the way in showing a more inclusive way of governing and progressive ideals. 

Unfortunately, all we can talk about is how much money he supposedly saved (more on that later) which glosses over the dodgy deals he has done to get out of his own personal financial mess and the thousands of promises that he has reneged over the past term and counting. If you really disagree with me, take some time and read the court judgement on Khalid vs Bank Islam to really understand the nature of the Menteri Besar you so admire.

Ragnarok for Pakatan in Selangor?

In Norse mythology (maybe it's not a myth but a true religion, who knows?) Loki the Trickster mated with Angrboða, a female giantess. One of their three monster offsprings was Fenrir, a monstrous wolf which though initially fettered and imprisoned would rise to destroy the Aesir (gods) at Ragnarok, the Norse equivalent of Armageddon (end of the world).

Odin fighting Fenrir at Ragnarok (end of time)
but would be swallowed up by the wolf

The so-called Kajang Move seems to have produced such a Fenrir in the person of Khalid Ibrahim.

Malaysiakini reported:

Malaysiakini understands that Selangor DAP has come to a point where it is so frustrated with Khalid's leadership that it no longer distinguishes between choosing Wan Azizah or the other PKR leader mooted for the post, Azmin Ali.

This is a lifetime away from the resolute support that DAP's Selangor leaders have shown for Khalid since Pakatan Rakyat took over the state in 2008.

"You come to a point where you can't communicate with the MB anymore," a senior official of the Selangor DAP told Malaysiakini.

According to the DAP leader, Khalid has not been taking anyone's opinion and sees differing views as a problem.

"With him, it's either his way or the highway. It's almost like he's the only one who can think," the leader said, without mincing his words.

For DAP so desperate to get rid of Khalid as MB Selangor that it will even consider accepting Azmin Ali as MB must surely spell precisely their utter frustration with a person they had once supported kau kau.

To them, Khalid is not only a loose cannon but now a maverick who as MB has shown and presumably will continue to show his arrogant disdain for Pakatan leadership directives. He has, in pilots' parlance, gone solo and on a single-piloted flight, and f**k the Pakatan multi-crew.

He has become so arrogant towards his former PKR and DAP colleagues because he has the backing of PAS (who most certainly don't want a woman as a MB, as it had already declared openly - see TMI's PAS will not support a woman MB as yet, says state rep), but more importantly he has the support and perhaps even 'guidance' from a very big Tai-Koh, very very BIG one.

We mustn't blame Khalid Ibrahim alone. This has come to be because of PKR's intra-party dispute between Khalid and you-know-who, and which pulled in Anwar Ibrahim who just couldn't help but intervene ... ahem ... to Khalid's disfavour and far far worse, humiliation.

In my post Khalid Ibrahim in political peril? I had written:

Not that we have been surprised by Anwar openly stating (as reported in the news media) he wanted Azmin Ali reinstated as a board member of PKNS, but he did so without the announcement being made JOINTLY with the Selangor MB, the bloke who had earlier shown a blasé attitude if not his overt glee regarding Azmin being dropped from the state appointment.

To summarize, Khalid was NOT unhappy about Azmin being removed from PKNS Board of Directors, but Anwar Ibrahim WAS unhappy.

Would I be repeating myself if I were to say, why should we be surprised, wakakaka!

There are many ramifications on Anwar's action to reinstate Azmin on the PKNS Board.

First, let's examine public perception of the PKR see-sawing by Anwar and Khalid.

The perception or impression that the public has likely obtained from Anwar's (if I may call it) unilateral announcement about reinstating Azmin to the PKNS Board would be that Khalid, the MB of Selangor, has been overruled kau kau. The rug was crudely, brutally and callously (without consideration for hisbeen-chooi or face) pulled away from under his menteri besar's feet .....

..... by a mere state economic adviser - remember, Anwar is not even the president of PKR, nor does the rule of Selangor, to wit, the MB position, belong to PKR by itself!

The second message the public obtained is of the following:

(a) Anwar favours and takes the side of Azmin Ali over that of Khalid's, as might be assumed from Anwar's unilateral announcement that Azmin was to be reinstated as a board member of PKNS. Of course Anwar came up with a reason, that the process not to renew Azmin's contract had not been according to proper procedures, and therefore that decision should be withdrawn.

It has to be said that Khalid made a mistake in giving Azmin (and thus Anwar) grounds to challenge the earlier decision, because of Khalid's known reluctance to personally confront, challenge or take MB's responsibility for unpleasant actions (don't believe me, ask Eli Wong, Tony Pua or Gobind Singh Deo lah, wakakaka).

In dropping Azmin from the PKNS Board. Khalid claimed it was the general manager of PKNS who made that decision, and this was the gnam gnam procedural mistake Azmin was looking for.

(b) Anwar has effectively given a public slap on Khalid's wrist by overruling the Selangor menteri besar's earlier statement.Alamak, boe been liao lah!

(c) Notwithstanding Anwar pointing out that Azmin PKNS directorship was terminated without due process, by publicly humiliating Khalid, he has shown that in PKR there are sacred cows who must never be offended or disadvantaged, even if it means the MB of Selangor has had to have his wrist slapped, even publicly.

(d) far worse than above, according to an unnamed PKR source, Anwar has effectively withdrawn his support for Khalid Ibrahim and will be seeking to have him removed as MB Selangor.

TMI reported but couldn't confirm what Anwar had apparently told the party's supreme council, according to a party source (wakakaka, I'm always wary of unnamed PKR source which usually turned out to be a self-serving someone I might possibly know):

“I am not in a position to defend the MB anymore. There is no discussion, no consideration, he thinks it is his state, he is in control.”

“No one knows his stand, he does not refer to anyone, no one knows ... So we have a problem.”

“There is no discussions on the water issue. I do not know (about it), I have to read the papers (to keep track of developments).”

“The Allah issue also, I do not know anything about it until today. Nothing!"

The claws were really out during the supreme council meet because TMI also reported that some party leaders (wakakaka) wanted to remove Khalid from his MB position, and of course (wakakaka again) for someone else to take over if Khalid could no longer manage Selangor according to the party’s ‘reformist’ principles.

Wakakaka, I’m not surprised by the last part about someone taking over as MB, but I have to say that whoever talked about the party’s ‘reformist’ principles has to be a self-deceiving joker, wakakaka.

When Khalid was so humiliated and pushed into a corner, made further worse (I know, a tautology but nonetheless needed here) by PKR's Kajang Move being publicly announced as (eventually) a strategic move to replace Khalid as MB - how insulting it must have been to Khalid Ibrahim - and when someONE (BIG BIG Tai-Koh) then informed Khalid he would be backed kau kau regardless, you suddenly have the birth of a Selangor Fenrir, one who has openly boasted he's here to stay and even dared Pakatan to oust him.

Alamak, what sort of PKR member would challenge his own party and coalition? Well, the simple (or simplified) answer is one whom PKR had itself created, a Fenrir who will bring together with him a Ragnarok for Pakatan (at least PKR) in GE-14.

PAS of course has been treacherous as it has its own agenda, which it sees as currently one of supporting Khalid in his MB role.

In some ways I can't blame PAS because it's clear DAP doesn't want a PAS MB, not with PAS' current insistence on implementing hudud. So the famous DAP-PAS nexus is gone - are you happy, Miss? wakakaka.

But like the original Fenrir running around the Aesir in Asgard and growing more and more frighteningly ferocious with each passing day, we now have a new Fenrir wolf among Pakatan in Selangor, all thanks to PKR's brilliant strategist Rafizi and his infamous Kajang Move.

And our Fenrir is most certainly growing more and more frighteningly ferocious with each passing day.

Will GE-14 be the Ragnarok for Pakatan (or at least PKR and DAP, as PAS will be doing a deal on its own)?