Why MenHen makes noise about Zahid's return from leave

Extracts from FMT's The numbers game and Zahid’s return

by Abdul Latif Yusof (FMT reader)

dei, Kit Siang, nanti dulu lah
saya baru saje balik dari cuti 

It is hardly coincidental that Zahid being slapped with so many charges came on the heels of the power play between Anwar Ibrahim and Mohamed Azmin Ali, following the latter’s alleged gay sex scandal.

Both are contenders to succeed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the eighth PM.

It is also no secret that Umno MPs are split over whether to support Mahathir or Anwar.

Zahid is known to back the latter as he goes back a long way with Anwar, including serving as his political secretary back in the day.

tahun 1998 saya sebagai Ketua Pemuda UMNO jadi pahlawan kamikaze bagi Anwar dalam perangnya dengan Atuk - kami ada kamcheng lah 

It wouldn’t be far-fetched to imagine that the charges against Zahid were timed to influence the numbers game in the event that a revolt is mounted against Mahathir by way of a vote of no confidence in Parliament, which resumes meeting this week.

Zahid’s return yesterday was a show of strength within Umno.

saya pun boleh kowtim sedikit

wakakaka 

In an interview, Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa said his party had been wooed separately by Mahathir and Anwar’s supporters should the two go separate ways. Annuar also confirmed that Umno MPs were divided over which side to take if push comes to shove.

These developments must also be seen in the context of the controversial forfeiture suits filed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against 41 individuals and organisations. Already questions have been raised over why certain political parties or individuals friendly to the federal government have been spared.

dei tambee, saya Raja Kowtim lah 

Some also asked why MACC chief Latheefa Koya decided to go down this road when the attorney-general himself had asked that the 1MDB criminal court case be postponed. [...]

dei budak2 kecil, tahu kah perbezaan antara lencana pangkat dan 'ribbon' penganugerahan? 

Looking at all these individual developments from a holistic view, there appears to be a recurring theme or a common thread that ties them together: the levers of power are being pulled in this high-stakes political chess game.

And this much is clear: the puppet-masters are not some mid-level bureaucrats. The breadth and scope of the operations suggest that they extend all the way into the deepest core of power in Putrajaya.

Was there any outright abuse of government machinery? The government owes the nation an explanation. We had enough of that in the past and certainly do not want to see it reappear.

This is not the Malaysia Baru that voters hoped for when they kicked out Barisan Nasional last year.

Kaytee notes:

Now we all know why Kit Siang had to buat bising sangat - on orders from Atuk. But does Kit Siang know in doing so he acted against Anwar's interests?