Bak Kut Teh, Boycott, And Now Najib’s “House Arrest” Demands! “Does Unity Government Really Need Umno?”
6 Apr 2024
JK Joseph
Repentant ex-banker who believes in truth, compassion and some humour
Jailed ex-Umno president Najib Razak appears to have presented PM Anwar Ibrahim with more headache after demanding that he was supposed to be “released” from prison and placed under “house arrest” as purportedly decreed by the previous King. Credit Image: Utusan.com
Already struggling to contain the fallout from rebellious Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh’s boycott move against KK Mart - now it looks like disgraced ex-PM Najib Razak has thrown his hat into the ring to pile more pressure on PM Anwar Ibrahim’s beleaguered unity government.
In fact, just when Anwar must have thought that he had finally managed to weather the intense storm sparked by the controversial “half pardon” granted to Najib relating to the SRC International corruption case, now it looks like a new storm has been kicked up out of nowhere!
According to a recent FMT report Najib had sensationally claimed that during the Federal Territories Pardons Board’s meeting last January the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) had actually issued a “supplementary decree” to allow him to be placed under house arrest!
For context, last Feb 2, the Federal Territories Pardons Board had announced that it had halved Najib’s prison sentence in his SRC International case from 12 years to six years and reduced his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million; however, instead of gratitude it was met with scorn and fierce criticism by the ex-PM, his lawyers and his supporters, including a certain Akmal Saleh who claimed that they had been played out.
The news report further confirmed that the ex-PM had recently filed an application at the High Court to compel the government to produce the purported “supplementary decree” from the former YDPA.
The former Umno president also contended that apparently the said decree was not announced by the board; in fact, according to him, his lawyers had even written to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other government ministers to confirm the matter but to no avail.
Najib, who earlier this week had his ongoing 1MDB case postponed as he was reportedly down with a severe bout of diarrhoea further alleged that the government was in contempt for not executing the YDPA’s decree; furthermore he wanted the Kuala Lumpur High Court to compel the government to execute it so that he can spend his jail time at home. Incidentally, Najib has three other ongoing criminal cases.
Meanwhile, responding to the controversial claim, a somewhat dumbfounded home minister Saifuddin Nasution had retorted that he was not aware of the so-called “supplementary decree”. Moreover, he added that he was not privy to it as he was not a member of the (Federal Territories) Pardons Board.
With the dark storm clouds over the toxic boycott move still enveloping much of the nation and now with another potentially tricky storm to negotiate, it's left to be seen how Anwar will handle matters.
For the record, it was under Najib that Umno together with its Barisan Nasional allies had shockingly lost power for the first time in the watershed 2018 general elections - paving the way for Pakatan Harapan (PH) to take over the reins.
However, in early 2020 following the infamous Sheraton Move, Bersatu led by Muhyiddin Yassin abruptly pulled out of PH and teamed up with PAS and Umno/Barisan Nasional instead to form a new Malay-centric government under Perikatan Nasional.
Then, in 2021, Muhyiddin was pressured to resign, by who else, but Umno with their own man Ismail Sabri Yaakob installed as the new prime minister.
Thus, having successfully done the impossible back then by “reclaiming” power despite having lost the general elections, could Umno’s strategists be planning yet another similar coup against Anwar’s “motley crew” government?
Still, political experts may argue that lightning seldom strikes the same place twice and that with only 30 parliamentary seats, Umno/BN may not pose any existential threat to the unity government.
Moreover, the current ruling coalition also enjoys an almost unassailable two-thirds majority in parliament; plus it must be pointed out that Anwar has also seemingly turned the corner after a shaky start to his reign.
But having said all that, hasn't Akmal Saleh, a relative minnow in the powerful Umno set-up, succeeded in bringing virtually the entire unity government down to its knees with the recent boycott move against KK Mart?
In fact, with nothing to lose and everything to play for, some may say chances are that Umno may be prepared to dig in to fight a long battle of attrition - even against its own coalition partners, especially its old enemy DAP!
As such, Akmal’s divisive boycott move and Najib’s endless (and shameless) court antics may only be part of the party’s larger game plan, with the ultimate goal, albeit against all odds, of getting their talismanic Bossku out of jail before the next general elections in 2027.
Once that is achieved and with plenty of cash to splash about - plus provided the celebrity convict’s other court cases are somehow delayed, “DNAA-ed” or even dropped - they may then go for the jugular!
After all, surely Anwar, himself a veteran of Umno, should know the grand old party better, notably its insatiable greed to be in full control of everything, especially the fabled “gravy train?"
Moreover, since he'll also be fully aware that the party will never allow itself to be muzzled - and that it will never play second fiddle to anyone for long - shouldn’t Anwar find a way to decouple from his abusive coalition partner before he gets the fatal sucker punch? If not from Umno then possibly from his own utterly disgusted PH supporters?
Already struggling to contain the fallout from rebellious Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh’s boycott move against KK Mart - now it looks like disgraced ex-PM Najib Razak has thrown his hat into the ring to pile more pressure on PM Anwar Ibrahim’s beleaguered unity government.
In fact, just when Anwar must have thought that he had finally managed to weather the intense storm sparked by the controversial “half pardon” granted to Najib relating to the SRC International corruption case, now it looks like a new storm has been kicked up out of nowhere!
According to a recent FMT report Najib had sensationally claimed that during the Federal Territories Pardons Board’s meeting last January the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) had actually issued a “supplementary decree” to allow him to be placed under house arrest!
For context, last Feb 2, the Federal Territories Pardons Board had announced that it had halved Najib’s prison sentence in his SRC International case from 12 years to six years and reduced his fine from RM210 million to RM50 million; however, instead of gratitude it was met with scorn and fierce criticism by the ex-PM, his lawyers and his supporters, including a certain Akmal Saleh who claimed that they had been played out.
The news report further confirmed that the ex-PM had recently filed an application at the High Court to compel the government to produce the purported “supplementary decree” from the former YDPA.
The former Umno president also contended that apparently the said decree was not announced by the board; in fact, according to him, his lawyers had even written to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other government ministers to confirm the matter but to no avail.
Najib, who earlier this week had his ongoing 1MDB case postponed as he was reportedly down with a severe bout of diarrhoea further alleged that the government was in contempt for not executing the YDPA’s decree; furthermore he wanted the Kuala Lumpur High Court to compel the government to execute it so that he can spend his jail time at home. Incidentally, Najib has three other ongoing criminal cases.
Meanwhile, responding to the controversial claim, a somewhat dumbfounded home minister Saifuddin Nasution had retorted that he was not aware of the so-called “supplementary decree”. Moreover, he added that he was not privy to it as he was not a member of the (Federal Territories) Pardons Board.
With the dark storm clouds over the toxic boycott move still enveloping much of the nation and now with another potentially tricky storm to negotiate, it's left to be seen how Anwar will handle matters.
For the record, it was under Najib that Umno together with its Barisan Nasional allies had shockingly lost power for the first time in the watershed 2018 general elections - paving the way for Pakatan Harapan (PH) to take over the reins.
However, in early 2020 following the infamous Sheraton Move, Bersatu led by Muhyiddin Yassin abruptly pulled out of PH and teamed up with PAS and Umno/Barisan Nasional instead to form a new Malay-centric government under Perikatan Nasional.
Then, in 2021, Muhyiddin was pressured to resign, by who else, but Umno with their own man Ismail Sabri Yaakob installed as the new prime minister.
Thus, having successfully done the impossible back then by “reclaiming” power despite having lost the general elections, could Umno’s strategists be planning yet another similar coup against Anwar’s “motley crew” government?
Still, political experts may argue that lightning seldom strikes the same place twice and that with only 30 parliamentary seats, Umno/BN may not pose any existential threat to the unity government.
Moreover, the current ruling coalition also enjoys an almost unassailable two-thirds majority in parliament; plus it must be pointed out that Anwar has also seemingly turned the corner after a shaky start to his reign.
But having said all that, hasn't Akmal Saleh, a relative minnow in the powerful Umno set-up, succeeded in bringing virtually the entire unity government down to its knees with the recent boycott move against KK Mart?
In fact, with nothing to lose and everything to play for, some may say chances are that Umno may be prepared to dig in to fight a long battle of attrition - even against its own coalition partners, especially its old enemy DAP!
As such, Akmal’s divisive boycott move and Najib’s endless (and shameless) court antics may only be part of the party’s larger game plan, with the ultimate goal, albeit against all odds, of getting their talismanic Bossku out of jail before the next general elections in 2027.
Once that is achieved and with plenty of cash to splash about - plus provided the celebrity convict’s other court cases are somehow delayed, “DNAA-ed” or even dropped - they may then go for the jugular!
After all, surely Anwar, himself a veteran of Umno, should know the grand old party better, notably its insatiable greed to be in full control of everything, especially the fabled “gravy train?"
Moreover, since he'll also be fully aware that the party will never allow itself to be muzzled - and that it will never play second fiddle to anyone for long - shouldn’t Anwar find a way to decouple from his abusive coalition partner before he gets the fatal sucker punch? If not from Umno then possibly from his own utterly disgusted PH supporters?
UMNO is your High-Maintenance partner from hell.
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