Khalid Ibrahim in political peril?

TMI - All eyes on Anwar to prevent fallout from Khalid-Azmin Selangor spat

The latest row was over Azmin’s seat on the board of directors for state property developer Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) or Selangor State Development Corporation.

While Anwar has been patiently papering over cracks between both men, his views on these issues have conflicted with Khalid's and the state government's, leading to speculation of a strain in the ties between him and the menteri besar.

Based on my reading of the news media, I reckon TMI's report has been correct that Anwar Ibrahim's views on this issue have conflicted with Khalid Ibrahim's stand.

The explanation is simple: Anwar is 101% pro Azmin, Khalid is 101% anti Azmi, wakakaka.

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 his been-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not to renew Azmin's contract had not been according to proper procedures, and therefore that decision should be withdrawn.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.

BTW, have there been too many 'wakakakas'? Wakakaka, sorry lah, can't help myself.

But I have to concede that Anwar did the right thing (based on TMI’s report) by saying that he has to consult DAP and PAS on Khalid's future and presumably, wakakaka, his replacement from PKR.

Please note again that TMI had not been able to confirm the above alleged comments by Anwar. So if the PKR source was indeed that 'usual' source, wakakaka, then it's possible that that self-serving source by dropping (Anwar's) names was out to show Anwar no longer supports Khalid, when it could well be that Anwar hadn't even said anything to that effect, wakakaka.

Be that as it may, I am sure by now the public would have sensed the perilous position of Khalid in both PKR and the Selangor state government.

But would I be correct to say that while Azmin Ali wields great power in PKR, far far more, very much more than Khalid Ibrahim who isn't even in PKR supreme council, Khalid Ibrahim is enormously popular with the public, specifically Pakatan supporters as well as political fence sitters - UMNO supporters are excused, wakakaka - while OTOH Azmin Ali is NOT, as shown on the interactive forums of online media, wakakaka.

Khalid is also trusted by Pakatan allies whereas ..... wakakaka .....

So if Anwar wants to chance upsetting the majority of the voting public in Selangor, sure, he can go ahead and discuss with DAP and PAS about removing Khalid, though there's no guarantee they'll go along with Anwar's personal preference.

Wait, as mentioned, removing Khalid as MB might not even be Anwar's decision, wakakaka, as the de facto leader undoubtedly wants to maximize his prospects in GE-14, and would prefer to leave popular votes-drawing Khalid Ibrahim where he is.

Anyway, that's Anwar's burden to carry (in current religiously acrimonious climate I have avoided using an English idiom with same meaning, wakakaka), and to discuss with his Pakatan allies but more importantly with the Døkkálfar Dwarf, wakakaka.

But let's come back to poor Khalid - hasn't he lost mucho face? I believe irreparably so, because if we recall, Khalid's first reaction to Anwar's humiliating blow to him was to spew out an euphemistic face-grabbing 'No' but without appearing rude to Anwar. The Malay mail Online reported:

The Selangor government said today it could not reinstate Azmin Ali to the board of the Selangor Economic Development Corporation (PKNS) to avoid legal problems, but will “consider” doing so after Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ‘s insistence that the former has not been axed.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said today that the state government will discuss Anwar’s “magnanimous” request, but added that the PKNS Enactment prevented the immediate restoration of the PKR deputy president’s previous position in the state-owned firm.

“Until a final decision is made by the Exco, the position of affected members of the PKNS Board remains as per the instruction by the PKNS General Manager so as to avoid further legal complications,” Khalid said

It was just face-saving heels dragging because in the end, Azmin had to be and has been reinstated, but the PKNS general manager and company secretary have become pelandoks in the shameful PKR intraparty pachydermous clash, wakakaka.

Thus I opine, again from my reading of the news media, that Anwar's public announcement in favour of Azmin Ali and to Khalid's humiliation could hardly be described as TMI put it:  '... Anwar ..... patiently papering over cracks between both men.'

How nice it would have been if Anwar had made that announcement about reinstating Azmin TOGETHER with Khalid, or better still, do his de facto leader's counselling part quietly within the party and let Khalid make that public announcement himself. Alas, too late liao!

From my recent observations of Khalid Ibrahim I have to say there's some truth in Anwar's lamentation about Khalid going it alone (mind you, Anwar's alleged lamentation about Khalid is based on an unnamed PKR source, wakakaka) .....

..... not that Anwar, as mentioned by some bloggers, had previously shown much interest in the Selangor state government's governing (maybe he's preoccupied with other issues?), .....

..... well, not until now, presumably after blue-eyed boy ran crying to him.

In my post on 24 October 2013 titled Royal President Khalid Ibrahim? I wrote:

Sometime back I began to have real concerns about Khalid Ibrahim. In fact I became quite disgusted by his naughtiness which I blogged in Selangor saga shows PKR's ketuanan mentality? based on my letter to and published by Malaysiakini. [...]

... after his successful first term as MB Selangor, I suspect Khalid Ibrahim has shifted his political loyalty (note I have written 'political' and not 'subject' loyalty) from PKR to HRH. Perhaps he must have found far greater comfort in presumably HRH's liking (and even protection) for him.

As RPK had written in one of his posts:

'Anyway, whatever it may be, Khalid is not PKR’s Menteri Besar. He is not even Pakatan Rakyat’s Menteri Besar. He is His Highness the Sultan’s Menteri Besar, and which would make him my Menteri Besar as well. So you had better not forget that and try to mess with Khalid.'

Of course, to be fair to RPK and not to mislead you (by naughty misinterpretation) as to the thrust of message, you would have to read RPK's post in its entirety to see the context of his statement above.

I've only reproduced it to serve as a starting point (titik tolak) for my take on Khalid Ibrahim's recent lamentable behaviour (meaning it's kaytee's opinion and not that of RPK).

Yes, Khalid Ibrahim has found his comfort zone as the Selangor MB, more so after the recent 2013 MB appointment when he has not only enjoyed HRH's approval but was nominated by both Selangor's PAS and DAP (the latter which he ironically stabbed in the back in order to favour Eli Wong's appointment as a non-Malay exco).

To put it in kaytee's words, Khalid Ibrahim has discovered his personal 'enlightenment', perhaps that in the state of Selangor and under HRH's aegis, he is indispensable, irreplaceable and 'almost' presidential in stature - 'almost' because he still knows he must not be too big-headed to believe he could do without HRH's favour.

Thus, when PAS and DAP ADUNs joined PKR ADUN, to wit, PAS commissioner Dr Rani Othman, PKR chairman Mohamed Azmin Ali and DAP chairman Lau Weng San (plus party 'spiritual' wakakaka leader, Anwar Ibrahim) in criticizing him as MB for his refusal or reluctance to spend more of the state's savings on development in the state instead of just uselessly hoarding the surplus in kitty, he pompously and presidentially but pathetically responded that while he was open to criticisms from any leader, adding that it was a normal thing in the administration, he cared more about the feedback he received from the public more than from other leaders.

So, to this bloke, ADUNs are inconvenient individuals and not the people's representatives, while he 'presidentially' and directly represents all the rakyat of Selangor.

This man obviously has gotten so big-headed (but judiciously not towards HRH, wakakaka) that he believes he could ignore democracy and the parliamentary process, which has been why I describe him lamentably as being pompously presidential.

Khalid's pathetic pseudo-presidential declaration so irate DAP's Gobind Singh Deo, son of my hero Bhai Karpal, that he '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."

The issue thus is not so much about Khalid's perceived kedukut-ness (stinginess) 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 one sole person in the person of the MB, one who has preposterously claimed that he has listened more to the people than to the ADUNs, ...

... leading us to 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, ...

... and that he 'listens more' to unknown, unquantifiable 'his so-called people'.

Based on his unbelievable bodoh-sombong declaration, if we don't watch this man carefully, democracy, warts and all, will go down the Selangor drain.

But notwithstanding the above, Khalid dropping Azmin from PKNS was not without grounds, at least on intraparty grounds, wakakaka.

If we recall, immediately post-May 2013 election, PKR indulged shamefully in disgraceful squabbling among its various factions, which then saw one of its factions wakakaka disparaging poor Khalid Ibrahim, the Pakatan-nominated MB of the previous state assembly session (2008-2013), for poor performance, describing him as a lame duck, without even understanding what the term means - I won't go into its correct meaning here.

Obviously 'someone' wakakaka was out to seize the MB position as if that position belonged to PKR. And it was not the first time too. Delusional lah!

Quite frankly, if PKR had removed Khalid Ibrahim as the Selangor MB, either then or, as reported, recently, someone still won't see his wet dreams realized because Pakatan with DAP and PAS combined would have nominated a PAS ADUN to be MB.

I dare say that other than Khalid Ibrahim, probably only 2 PKR members would be acceptable as MB Selangor to DAP and to a lesser extent PAS, namely Anwar himself and Dr Wan Azizah, subject of course to HRH's consent and approval. But alas, both hubby and wifey aren't Selangor ADUNs.

The remaining PKR ADUNs are either too young (eg. it would be preposterous for Nurul, even if she was an ADUN in Selangor, to be MB at her tender age when far more senior and quite capable PAS ADUNs are around) .....

..... or too wakakaka unacceptable - you know who, wakakaka, and I have to say, Khalid for all his faults and recently acquired pompous pretensions, is still the best Pakatan choice as MB.

I am inclined to believe that DAP may, in the absence of Khalid (discounting Anwar or Wan Azizah since they aren't ADUNs in Selangor), support a PAS ADUN as the MB.

Okay lah, perhaps it may be worried about PAS' fixation in implementing hudud to replace the civil laws, but what other acceptable PKR choice is there? Maybe Pakatan will serendipitously encounter another PAS MB like Nizar Jamaluddin?

But PKR must get into their heads that the Selangor MB position is not theirs by birth rights or ketuanan-ness. Yes, the post has to go to a Pakatan Malay but qualified and suitable Pakatan Malays are not only in PKR.

Now, why did I mention PKR's belief in or proclivity towards ketuanan-ness?

Because post election last year, in PKR falling among themselves and squabbling for the MB position inclusive of badmouthing Khalid wakakaka, what ripped the breath out of many was an absurd and laughable statement by PKR Wanita chief, Zuraida Kamaruddin.

In a preposterous baring of territorial fangs, she unbelievably told DAP and PAS to stay out of the PKR squabbling over the Selangor MB appointment because according to her, now get this, the post belonged to PKR and it was for the party alone to decide which of its ADUNs should be MB.

If that was not malodorously ketuanan-ness, I don’t know what it was.

In a media interview she ludicrously asked (rhetorically) whether the PAS and DAP state ADUNs were gila kuasa, without even recognizing the irony of her silly accusation, wakakaka.

And mind you, she uttered those unbelievably dumb words despite those PAS and DAP ADUNs nominating a PKR person to be MB, and not one of their own party members.

The sheer outrageous nonsense of her asinine claim on the MB position would have been a great joke if not for the disturbing cardinal belief by some in PKR that they possess supreme birthrights above their political allies, stemming no doubt from their ketuanan mindset.

I think Khalid's position as MB is still safe, at least for now, as Anwar had veto-ed the PKR supreme council's proposal to drop him, knowing that DAP and PAS might not agree to someone's appointment, wakakaka. There is also HRH's approval to contend with.

But I've no doubt that somewhere in a dark dank and direful subterranean cavern in Svartálfaheimr the Døkkálfar Dwarf will be plotting away to get rid of the Royal MB, wakakaka.

Addendum:

Malaysiakini's Selangor PKR chides state gov't overtransfer of duo reported (extracts):

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Selangor state secretary Mohammed Khusrin Munawi denied reports that the decision to drop Azmin had been reversed.

"The Selangor government had never instructed PKNS to retract Azmin's termination of service which was effective Jan 8," he said.

He was referring to reports that the PKNS general manager had on Jan 16 sent a letter to Azmin informing him that he had been reinstated. "This is untrue," he said.

Mohammed Khusrin said Azmin's position will be discussed during the Selangor exco meeting on Jan 22 and the investigation over the circumstances of his dismissal is ongoing.

Wakakaka, isn't he the bloke appointed by the MCS who bypassed the PR state government in that appointment? Don't play play with the 'Royal MB' lah, wakakaka again. 

Related:

(1) 'Killing' Khalid softly .....

(2) Selangor saga shows PKR's ketuanan mentality?

Where are the Dayaks?

Malaysiakini - Umno protesters: Does DAP want another May 13?

A kangkung-theme flash mob by Machang Bubuk assemblyperson Lee Khai Loon has irked Umno members and their allies, prompting a rally in Seberang Jaya protesting Lee's allegedly rude behaviour against the country's top leader. [...]

Around 600 people, including state Umno leaders, attended the rally, held in front of the Sunway Carnival Mall.

Earlier, the group, marched from a nearby futsal court, located 1km away from the mall, shouting "Allahu Akbar" and "Hidup Melayu" (Long live the Malays).

They also held banners carrying words such as ‘Insulting the PM is akin to insulting Malays’, ‘Penang Malays survive by eating kangkung’, ‘ABCD - Asal Bukan Cina DAP’ and ‘DAP is the enemy of Islam’.

The most striking banner - in blood red - screamed ‘Because of DAP's leaders mouth, May 13, 1969 happened... Want some more?’


Malaysiakini - Lee decries 'provocation' at pro-PM demo

After being targeted with protests yesterday and today, Machang Bubuk assemblyperson Lee Khai Loon decried the provocative manner in which the protest was mobilised and the violent manner it was done.

Among others, he claimed that a poster that contained an image of a man wielding two machetes and filled with provocative language was used to urge people to attend the protest this morning.


Malaysia-Today - When the ante is upped

Earlier I wrote an article called ‘The Rubicon has been crossed’ (READ HERE). I received quite a number of messages from friends and associates agreeing with me that the Rubicon has indeed been crossed and there is no longer any turning back.

If we really want to take the stance that there must be no compromise and winner must take all, then brace yourself for the darkest period in Malaysian history that will make May 13 pale by comparison. Some might even call this a zero-sum game where we will be looking at a loss-loss situation instead of, ideally, a win-win situation.


I suppose we needn't worry too much as I'm quite safe down under in Australia while you in Malaysia have intrepid hero, looes74, and his several battalions of Dayak headhunters to protect you, with more battalions of Batak headhunters as reserve troops on standby.

my type of Dayaks, wakakaka

So all of you just stay 'calm' wakakaka - see my post Words that annoy.

But jokes aside, this is what I had written at Malaysia-Today as a comment in RPK's above-mentioned post:

I have warned about this for quite a while, and have for my troubles been called variously traitor, coward, Najib lover, BN cybertrooper, etc.

I saw/see the root cause to be timing and a confluence of various factors - UMNO's political position and intra power struggle, rising cost of living, religion, Malay perception of increasing non-Malay biadapness towards Malay rulers ['perception' is what it is, factual, believed or even fabricated or instigated/guided], the RC church loud defiance, Pakatan increasing hubris made worse by some fumbling incompetent UMNO ministers, an unrealistic reliance on democracy & rule of law, etc [eg. if UMNO is strong it will probably be more benign, more conscious of the rule of law and more tolerant of, say, the church's wish to do what the church has been insisting on doing]

To be pithy, it's lousy timing right at this juncture in Malaysian socio-political-economic-cultural-religious point in time for Pakatan or the church to be pushing, pushing and pushing.

But far worse is what I would daringly (attempt to) term as social hysteresis, meaning that when the adverse factors are eventually removed from the current acrimonious situation, Malaysian society will not return back to what it has been for quite a long long time, ro even never.


Earlier, Jeff Twitters, a visitor to my blog, was angry at my following comment (in response to another earlier comment) in my post Words that annoy:

'I'm not sure where this is taking us, but as a final remark and perhaps reminder fundamental freedoms come with fundamental responsibilities, and where there can be no ABSOLUTE freedom, especially in a country like Malaysia with a political situation that fosters divisive politics and exploits such opportunities. And let's not pretend that the current issue over an Islamic term is benefiting UMNO, thanks to the church.'

In turn he responded as follows (extract only on his disagreement with my bit above about 'there can be no ABSOLUTE freedom'):

ABSOLUTE FREEDOM and that is what all Malaysians are fighting for. to correct a wrong our forefathers made. And to achieve that we must be responsible, courageous and united in our cause.


Of course I had no choice but to reply as follows:

Absolute freedom? Don't talk cock for it only shows your lack of social and personal responsibilities. If you don't believe me, try and say out the words like 'bomb' or 'hijack' at an airport, or criticize the Thai royalty in Thailand, or wakakaka say 'poofter' in Australia.. Freedom has its limits according to the mores and laws of each country.

Until in recent years, Greece did not permit worship of religions other than Judaism, Christianity and Islam (the last probably in awareness of its powerful and not too friendly Turkish neighbour).- there's quite an amusing story behind this.

As I mentioned earlier and I reiterate now, the government is NOT denying anyone their religious beliefs. And haven't we been Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Bahais, Taoists, Confucianists, Muslims etc etc etc for donkey years?

It's only telling the church to stop using the Allah word to refer to a Christian god that's known in the bible as Yahweh (Jehovah), Elohim, Adonai, etc.


And I may add: try insulting a Jew in Europe or challenging any of their 'sacred cows' and you may end up like Prince Harry, David Irving and Siné (real name Maurice Sinet), a former cartoonist at a French magazine called Charlie Hebdo.

For above stories, see:

(a) Jewish goose, but no Arab gander

(b) European 'freedom of expression' took nosedive!

(c) Charlie Hebdo - further Western hypocrisy

To reiterate, freedom has its limits according to the mores and laws of each country.

Ever since Miss Muffet introduced me to Denis Diderot (yes, true sweet memories, wakakaka), I've always admire his views on priests, wakakaka. Now, for the one in Perak and his counterpart in Selangor, I've a wee ode wakakaka for them as follows:

Two priests thought they’re walking in different direction

Away rapidly from each other so they arrogantly believe

Two priests imagine the other suffers from disaffection

But they’re twins; in assuming differences they self deceive

wakakaka

Words that annoy!

Currently there's one word that annoys me enormously. No, it's not 'looes74', wakakaka (actually I'm fond of him so you can call him my loverlooes, cium cium cium, wakakaka again), but believe it or not, the word is 'calm' as in 'remain calm' or 'keep calm' or 'WhateverTF calm'.

I had stated this, my bêtes noire (bugbear), in my Facebook some weeks ago because I was highly riled whenever I read of the word within a certain context - no, not as in 'a calm sea' or 'the calm before the storm' etc.

The annoying 'certain' context would be when (and regrettably just too often) we have politicians or so-called national leaders (from both sides of the political fence) advising us to 'remain calm', even in situations which didn't trouble us in the least. And if we were to be in situations which trouble us greatly, just how the hell would we be able to 'remain calm' when we would in all probability be anxious, worried and perhaps even sh*t-scared?

Thus such advice would be useless and worse, rather patronizing, as if we are budak-budak kecil to be calmed (f**k) ... er ... I mean ...  soothed.

Yeah, why not tranquilize or sedate us instead, rather than give us the verbal dummy-pacifier! Can you blame us for spitting the dummy?

Apparently at the beginning of WWII (1939) the British Ministry of Information published a poster for the public to 'Keep Calm and Carry On'.

It was the third in a series of 3 motivational posters, the other two being 'Freedom Is In Peril. Defend It With All Your Might' and 'Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory'.

You could argue the posters (maybe the one exhorting 'cheerfulness', wakakaka) worked because the Brits won the war ... er ... with a wee help (wakakaka) from the Yanks.

But the British public regarded them as, (my 2nd 'believe it or not', wakakaka) '... patronizing and divisive. Design historian Susannah Walker regards the campaign as "a resounding failure", and reflective of a misjudgement by upper-class civil servants of the mood of the people.' [from Wikipedia]

I say old chap, jolly good show and all that (wakakaka).

Okay then, back home in Malaysia, the latest publication I (lamentably again) read of this irritating word (in its annoying context) was in Malaysiakini's No reversal on Azmin, MB tells Anwar.

By now I am sure most, if not all of you readers are aware of the PKR intraparty tussle between Khalid Ibrahim and Azmin Ali where the latter was dropped from PKNS board of directors.

MKINI reported: In an immediate reaction, Anwar Ibrahim had called for a withdrawal of the letter since nobody owned up to it and the reasons were unclear. Azmin, who was with Anwar when he made this call at the PKR headquarters, was tight-lipped.

... and why should we be un-calm* by Anwar's 'immediate' reaction?

* just taking some liberties with English - after all we Malaysians are famous for our Manglish, wakakaka.

While calling for a review of the decision, Khalid did not give a deadline for now.

"As this is not a matter of public urgency, the state government requests the public to maintain calm and remain patient while awaiting the decision of the exco," the statement said.

Now, my dear 'Royal MB', we the public don't give two figs about Azmin being dropped from that Selangor state post, so why would we be un-calm ... at least not until you riled us with your patronizing call for the public to maintain calm. 

Okay, this post is not about PKR intraparty war but then, I just read TMI's The Empire Strikes Back ... ooops ... PKR nixes Azmin camp’s proposal to sack Khalid as Selangor MB as revealed to the online media by sweetie Eli Wong. Hope everyone in PKR was highly agitated and not calm, wakakaka.

I want my seat back

wakakaka

Okay, let's move on to other annoying words.

I wonder whether you have read one of my earlier posts (2008) titled Malaysiakini's Great Helmsman over at my older blog BolehTalk, where I cut my blogging teeth under the blogging tutelage of Mr X, the original blog owner.

Great Helmsman Stalin

With apologies to my good matey Steven Gan of Malaysiakini (wakakaka matey it's after all some five years ago), I was so annoyed by the journalists at MKINI's for repetitively using the word 'helm' when so many other equivalent or even better words exist (shades of the church's preferred 'word'? wakakaka).

I had then posted (extract):

I’m going to pick on one of my bêtes noires, namely a certain word used by the media.

As some of you would be already aware, I dislike immensely the word ‘helm’ used in a specific context, as in 'head' a project or hold a 'leadership' position or 'manage' a task.

Great Helmsman of the Songun Era, Leader Kim Jong Il!

Why can’t Malaysiakini journalist or editors, even if they still insist on a nautical flavour, use words like:

• ‘skipper’ as in ‘she was selected to skipper the team’;
• ‘steer’ – 'he steered the scheme to its successful achievement';
• ‘pilot’ – 'she piloted the project brilliantly through the bureaucratic hurdles';

… or even better, ‘captain’, ‘command’, etc.

Of course those ‘sailors’ at Malaysiakini couldn't use ‘head’, because in naval terms, 'head' is a toilet wakakaka.

Imagine 'she was selected to head the team' would probably see her being endlessly ribbed with 'hello there skipper, anyone inside with you?' wakakaka, but then on second thoughts, perhaps it may be okay as this is the landlubber section, wakakaka.

Then apart from 'head' wakakaka, there are of course other general (non-nautical) words like ‘lead’, ‘direct’, ‘overseer’, ‘run’, ‘manage’, etc.

Today, five years later on, I still see or rather read more of this 'helm' obsession in other online news media as well ... f**k!

Then the other phrase (or words rather than just a word) is 'don't test our patience'!

I'm sure you know who normally would say that. But by saying that, those f**kers had indicated that they had probably lost their patience, so it's quite annoying to read or hear of those bullshit-ish words? But worse, there's that look-down-on-you patronizing tone in those utterances. Pordah!

Next, one of the words I most deplore is 'reformasi' wakakaka, when I consider who said that and what that person had incongruously (ie. most unrefomasi-ishly) tried to do. Given this, it's hardly surprising I love the Malay axiom 'cakap ta'serupa bikin', wakakaka.

Reformasi mascot, wakakaka

Thus, dearest Nurul should be aware that the preposterous title 'Princess Reformasi', apart from its extravagant indulgent absurdity, carries more of a stigma than a compliment or adulation.

Now, we come to journalists who must never be allowed to fly an aeroplane or sail a ship because they probably had failed their maths in school.

wakakaka

Look, I hate to return to Malaysia’s notorious sodomy trials but to make this point about an annoying journalistic phrase I am forced to touch upon the antics of Azlan Mohd Lazim, the dad of Saiful Bukhari – no, I’m won't be discussing the core issues brought out during the trials.

Azlan Lazim, just less than two months after dismissing his son’s allegation against Anwar Ibrahim as a fabrication at a PKR organized press conference and then joining the party as a member, did a volte-face to state that he had made a mistake in his earlier declaration after he realized the sodomy charge was not a political conspiracy against Anwar.

There’s a lovely Malay word for Azlan Lazim's behavior (no, not the one with an etymological pedigree from the Middle East, wakakaka), to wit, belakang pusing.

Now, tell me, direction-wise what do you understand by belakang pusing?

Let me provide you with a reference point, say, you had been facing North and you belakang pusing. Which compass cardinal point would you be facing now?

If you read a couple of online news media (no, not Malaysiakini this time, wakakaka) they wrote, and not just once, lines descriptive of Azlan Lazim’s volte-face as ‘Saiful’s dad makes 360 degree sodomy turn’ and/or ‘makes a full circle’.

Mate, if you are facing North and you belakang pusing you would be facing South, 180 degrees away and not 360 degrees!

Okay, hands up those of you who got this wrong, and that includes you, my loverlooes, wakakaka. Of course you could argue in mitigation you are the type who makes lousy belakang pusing, wakakaka.

Mateys, ‘makes 360 degree sodomy turn’ and/or ‘makes a full circle’ would mean you’d end up again in the SAME f*** DIRECTION which means no change at all in direction or stand ...

… which has been why I stated there are journalists who must never be allowed to fly an aeroplane or sail a ship, wakakaka. Yes, it'd be okay for them to drive a car because all they have to do then would be to follow the road, no compass required, wakakaka.

This more or less brings us to the current vogue word which I have to confess I do not dislike but rather, I can never get enough of if it's the real stuff (not just the word) which is stir-fried with sambal belacan, or served with cuttlefish soaked in alkali water (both blanched and sauced kau kau) a la Penang-style jiu-hu-eng-chai, yummy and wakakaka.

there's a f**king conspiracy somewhere in the dish, wakakaka

But then it's an annoying word NOT for me but alas, for Ah Jib Gor, wakakaka.

yummy jiu-hu-eng-chai

photo from Vivian Pang's Kitchen

Addendum (30 Jan 2014):

BolehTalk - Kajang folks, be bloody grateful!

Rafizi Ramli: Pakatan must face 'Monster'

UMNO's greatest political achievement since its election shock in March 2008 has been the favourable wake churned up by the current Allah word controversy.

manmanlai ho liao man

wakakaka

Much earlier, leading up to the May 2013 election, it fumbled left and right as it sought to assure Peter (Butrus in Arabic or Petrus in Indonesian) in the Heartland and Paul (Bulus in Arabic or Paulus in Indonesian) in the East.

Yes, while it was not quite robbing Petrus* to pay Paulus* or vice versa, Najib was doing a frantic juggling act so as not to upset his Heartland as well as 'Fixed Deposits'.

* I am using the Indonesian versions since the Catholic Church has shown its 'commitment' to an Indonesian word which it (in the person of Fr Lawrence Andrew) claims as a local or Malay word, wakakaka.

In my post Allah, Elohim or Yahweh? Fr Andrew stated "The new Malay bible weakens the argument for using the word Allah because some groups are trying to substitute God with a foreign name, whereas Allah is the Malay word for God and has been the accepted translation for centuries^." The alleged word was 'Elohim'.

Do you get that, where Fr Andrew said 'Elohim' was a foreign word (he's right 'coz it's Hebrew) but that 'Allah' is a Malay word? Malay word???

^ And didn't the Catholic Church use Latin in its Mass for centuries too? Didn't Catholics use to eat only non-meat dishes on Fridays for centuries too? What language is being used in Catholic Mass today? What may Catholics eat on Fridays today?

But no more, UMNO is no longer fumbling or juggling, no, not since Fr Lawrence Andrew had defied HRH Sultan of Selangor, if not legally then a la in-your-face lèse majesté, by pronouncing that the churches in Selangor will use Allah to refer to the Christian god in its Malay sessions in direct open defiance to HRH's fatwa.

What a delightful boon to a struggling fumbling juggling UMNO and a struggling fumbling juggling Najib. In one delightful fell swoop Najib achieves the following:

• divert Heartland's attention away from the rising costs of living, issues of GST and the dreadful TPPA, etc
• rallied the Heartland back to its political fold
• smite Pakatan asunder, rendering PAS and PKR to be at odds with DAP, ulamas to split with Erdogens in PAS, Muslims and non-Muslims in PKR and DAP to not see eye to eye on issue, etc - I mentioned this in my post The cock-a-doodle-doo story.

... without doing anything, in fact by actually doing nothing ...

... thanks to one man ..... Fr Lawrence Andrew.

No one in the Heartland gives a f**k about the legal, etymological, historical and logical arguments or international opinions. All they see, hear and learn (bullshit or otherwise) have been that Christians are pushing arrogantly into Muslim territories and showing much disrespect to HRH Selangor.

While sweetie Marina Mahathir stuck her lovely neck out for the Catholic Church as she would for the downtrodden, the underdogs and the marginalized, and Zaid Ibrahim spoke out loud for commonsense and the the rights to worship without fear or favour, and Waythamoorthy (ooops sorry lah, wakakaka) ... the Pakatan Muslims have been caught uncomfortably between the Scylla of the Christians and non-Muslim minorities and the Charybdis of the Heartland, as I mentioned in  my post The cock-a-doodle-doo story.

Things are heating up real quick and nasty and as I warned in my post The elephant in the room that the humongous pachyderm sitting on many non-Muslims' heads, one they either have refused to or couldn't see, would be the probable threat to the security of this country brought about by the 'perception of the Malays' (true or otherwise) of Christian proselytizing of the followers of Islam.

As I wrote, this in fact is the bloody elephant in the Peninsula Malaysia (Malaya) room.

Jumbo's name is Maria ... as in Maria Hertogh

I venture forward daringly to even suggest a potential parallel to the Maria Hertog incident in 1950 where religious riots broke out in (then) British Singapore for 3 days where 18 people were killed while 173 were injured with many properties damaged.

The cause of the rioting was Muslims sighting (media?) photos of Maria Hertogh kneeling before a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Maria Hertogh was born a Catholic but because of family separation during WWII was raised as a Muslim by a Terengganu Malay woman, and then returned by the British court (in Singapore) to her Dutch biological parents after the war with much heartbreak for her and her Malay adopted 'mum'. The photos of her praying before the Virgin Mary was after she was returned to her biological parents. 

Maria Hertogh

Those Muslims went berserk at the perceived proselytizing and went on a rampage, killing mainly Westerners (Christians).

riot over the Maria Hertogh incident

Now, the circumstances and causes of the riot on May 13 in 1969 are by now rather well-known as one stemming from political turned racial factors. Many are confident that PAS and the Malays in PKR won't succumb to the political or racial siren calls of the ultras.

But if the current acrimony over the church's use of the Allah-word were to break the camel's (religious) back a la the circumstances of the Maria Hertogh case, will PAS members and PKR Muslim members be able to hold back from the calls of a holy jihad?

Last year PAS deputy mursyidul am Haron Din was reported as saying he would never agree to any decision allowing the use of 'kalimah Allah' by non-Muslims.

He asserted: “Kalimah Allah dominates every surah in the Quran, while the word Allah cannot be found anywhere in the Bible.”

Even the Penang Mufti has recently jumped on the bandwagon to prohibit non-Muslims from using some 40 words related to Islam.

While my Bhai hero railed against that prohibition on legal grounds and quoted the legal assessments of senior lawyer Roger Tan, state exco on Islamic affairs Abdul Malik Kassim (PKR) refused to comment on the Mufti's moves for the reason I stated in The cock-a-doodle-doo story.

No matey, it's not an easy time for Pakatan Muslims, unless they are like Marina Mahathir or Zaid Ibrahim.

And has Lim Guan Eng said anything? If he has then I have been rather negligent in not hearing or reading of it. But really, the issue has been embarrassing and damn vexing for Pakatan solidarity.

My dear Bhai, you can argue on logical, legal, historical, etymological grounds and quote international Muslim experts and even the Mufti of this and that, yes, until the cows come home, but those in the Heartland won't give a damn shake (I'm using the polite word here).

That's why Najib and UMNO have politically achieved much for the first time since March 2008, and without doing anything at all ...

... all thanks to one man ... Fr Lawrence Andrew.

Thus I argue that if we were unfortunate enough to experience (again) any outbreak of nastiness arising from the annoying insistence of the church to use the Allah word, it will be one a la Maria Hertogh rather than May 13, where sadly, it will probably see PAS and PKR Muslims rallying under a unified Malay-Muslim banner against non-Muslims, specifically Christians.

But thank goodness, PKR's Rafizi Ramli has the bloody noodles (brains) and guts to say what needs to be said, but wakakaka, without actually saying it.

TMI reported in its article Pakatan’s indecisiveness on ‘Allah’ issue will cost them dearly in next polls, warns Rafizi:

Pakatan Rakyat's indecisiveness on the ongoing tussle over the word “Allah” will cause the opposition pact to be a "sitting lame duck" in the next three years, which might work to Umno's advantage, warned a key leader.

PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli said the opposition pact's reticence could be due to the results of a survey by Universiti Malaya’s Centre for Democracy and Elections last December which showed 77% Malays polled felt that the term "Allah" should not be used by non-Muslims.

This, despite the fact that Pakatan's stand for the past three years is that the term is not exclusive to any community, he said, a stand that had caused them votes.

Rafizi cut to the chase and warned that unless Pakatan come swiftly to a decision, no matter how bitter it may be to some supporters, the coalition will fall prey and remain thus to UMNO's manipulation of racial and religious issues associated with the use of the Allah-word.

He stated rather bluntly and frankly: "There is a need for serious soul searching and contemplation within PR leadership to find out how exactly we want to face this monster," implying that Pakatan may (kaytee's own interpretation from here as I read TMI's report) even have to offend the Christians which '... might even cost them electoral support'.

That must the monster he was referring to!

elephant-in-room monster?

looes74 monster?

"hey, look at me, the head not the hunter, yes the head, that's me looes74"

wakakaka

Rafizi said taking a difficult decision (even at the loss of some electoral support) would still be better than doing nothing or evading the issue in a wishy washy way. He believes that the lost support may possibly be regained through the next few years.

But I see those required difficult decisions/actions as implied by Rafizi Ramli, as being more than avoiding alienation of the Heartland from Pakatan. It's to prevent another Maria Hertogh situation.

Maybe Pakatan could also advise the Vatican to have need of Fr Lawrence Andrew's 'amazing' diplomatic skills, in Rome wakakaka.

UPDATE (11 am 15/01/14):

Following Rafizi Ramli's succinct warning on Pakatan losing out politically to UMNO because of the church insistence on using the Allah word in its Malay prayer sessions,TMI reported in its Pakatan leaders agree need for common stand on 'Allah' issue the following (relevant extracts only):

The PR leaders also warned that as religion is a sensitive topic, it was necessary to address it carefully to avoid the fanning emotions. Mainly Muslim Malaysia has a 29 million population with at least 10% being Christians. [...]

PAS central committee member Khalid Samad agreed that it would benefit the opposition coalition to have a common stand.

"Pakatan leaders should discuss this, make a decision and stick to their guns," he told The Malaysian Insider. [...]

We can speculate as what he meant by '... make a decision and stick to their guns'  but I reckon we won't be far wrong if he had implied adopting what Rafizi has euphemistically stated as "There is a need for serious soul searching and contemplation within PR leadership to find out how exactly we want to face this monster."

The Islamist party's official stand, said the Shah Alam MP, is that the word "Allah" is not exclusive to Muslims but felt the word "God" should be translated as "Tuhan" instead of "Allah". [...]

... and also available are additional ones like MahaDewa, Elohim, Yahweh, Elyon, El Shaddai, etc.

PKR vice-president N. Surendran said opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had clearly stated his stand that the term is not exclusive to any community.

The problem, he said, is the use of traditional media against the pact which "drowned out" its stand.

"It is a question of perception and it arises because the media is being used in favour of BN and the extremists. Our position gets skewed or misquoted," he said.

Indeed YB, it is a question of perception that's unfavourable and unjust to Pakatan, but given this reality why continue to argue against that invincible perception on etymological, historical, legal, expetise or logical grounds when all that would be like banging your head against an unyielding deaf wall?

DAP as spoken for by its Vice-chairperson Ariffin Omar has agreed to Pakatan taking a common stand.