Malaysia's gunfight at OK Corral

Malaysiakini - Lokman claims Daim threatened Mustapa – quit or face charges (extracts):

Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam has accused Daim Zainuddin of threatening former minister Mustapa Mohamed with court charges.

He alleged that Daim gave Mustapa an ultimatum, which is to quit Umno or be hauled to court for receiving funds from former premier Najib Abdul Razak.

Malaysiakini has contacted Mustapa and Daim, who is a confidant of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for comment on the allegation.

Lokman claimed that the ultimatum came after MACC purportedly questioned Mustapa over the RM2.6 billion found in Najib's bank account.

"He was told to quit Umno or face charges in court," the Umno leader told reporters outside the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex this afternoon.

Lokman was at the complex with some 30 others to show support for Najib, who is in the Sessions Court to face multiple charges over the RM2.6 billion, which the prosecution claims originated from 1MDB.

He said there was nothing wrong for Mustapa and Umno leaders to receive funds from Najib's account, which he claimed was used as a trust fund for the party.

"What is wrong with receiving money from Najib? He was the Umno president.

“Is there anything wrong for him (Mustapa) to receive money to be used, for example, for Orang Asli welfare programmes?" Lokman asked.

Najib has claimed that the RM2.6 billion was a donation from a Saudi royalty.

Lokman also accused Mahathir of using MACC and linked it to a possible showdown between the premier and his designated successor Anwar Ibrahim.

According to him, MACC is questioning numerous Umno leaders and MPs over the funds in Najib's account.

He claimed this was being done to prevent Umno MPs from supporting Anwar in the event if he moves a no-confidence vote against Mahathir in Parliament.

Quizzed further, he declined to name the Umno leaders who were questioned.

On Tuesday night, Mustapa, who is the MP for Jeli, announced that he has resigned from Umno. The next morning, former minister and Kimanis MP Anifah Aman also threw in the towel.

We all know the rising political temperature between Mahathir and a now-more invigorated Anwar who has been lately asserting himself and becoming more prime-ministerial, wakakaka.

There could be many reasons for the resurrection of the 'old' (or earlier) Anwar, one of which would undeniably be his fear of being kow-tim-ed again.

As I had often referred to the saying or proverb befitting his tragic career, I'll now say it again for as a reminder, that for Anwar's prime-ministerial aspiration, there's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip.

Hillary's bid for the US presidency would be a classic example of "There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip"

The proverb implies that even when a good outcome or conclusion seems certain, shit can still happen (as spilling the drink before the cup reaches the lips).

Anwar was "shacked" kaukau in 1998 when he was almost the PM, and was sent to prison for 9 years until AAB in 2004 had the court review his case; again he was "buggered" in 2012 when he was on the cusp of becoming MB Selangor (and the PM from that). Though he was originally acquitted, his acquittal was overturned by the courts in 2014. He was again sentenced to 5 years imprisonment.

Recently, with the emergence of the new Pakatan Harapan government, he was pardoned by HM the Agong. He was told to wait for Mahathir's 2 years' PM-ship, but Mahathir seems to have changed his mind on his promise, voicing that he may hang on beyond 2 years.

For Anwar, it is that dreadful déjà vu of "there's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip".

Thus I do not blame him for lately being over-agitated, over-vociferous and over-assertive in his prime-ministerial claims and futuristic policies.

He has even alluded to accepting help from UMNO, indicating he may ally his PKR with the grand olde party to confront Mahathir, his old unending Nemesis at OK Corral - such is his fear and desperation at what he sees as Mahathir's notorious treachery.

But that's on the part of Anwar. What about the Old Man who has stated he "may" (or more likely "will") stay BEYOND 2 years?

I doubt he gives a fCk about Anwar and the latter's concerns. He is seen to be moving two steps ahead of Anwar.

As Malaysiakini has reported:

Lokman also accused Mahathir of using MACC and linked it to a possible showdown between the premier and his designated successor Anwar Ibrahim.

According to him, MACC is questioning numerous Umno leaders and MPs over the funds in Najib's account.

He claimed this was being done to prevent Umno MPs from supporting Anwar in the event if he moves a no-confidence vote against Mahathir in Parliament.

Read also:

(1) Anwar Ibrahim - 'Twixt Cup & Lip.

(2) Leaders & followers.