Is Anwar unstoppable?

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — Is Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim unstoppable?

With the big margin he attained in the by-election, it does look as if the Barisan Nasional will have a hard time stopping him. But then, as Anwar himself said, a week is a long time in politics, meaning that nothing is definite.

He is stoppable as a person, but I think what has happened to him is that he has become the focus of a lot of hope for Malaysians disillusioned with the BN system. Because he is a wily politician — or a chameleon as critics like to say — he has been able to remake himself in the image of the reform movement that his arrest 10 years ago inspired and that developed more intensely than he could have expected.

That movement has aligned itself with other oppositional forces and that new combined force now places him as its front man. In turn, he has become indispensable to that force.

Understood that way, Anwar does look unstoppable. The long-term way the BN and Umno can take the wind out of his sail is to reform themselves radically, and in the process, change Malaysian politics to the extent that the polarised situation that makes someone such as Anwar so iconic disappear, or weaken.

As long as the BN refuses to change, the situation that created the strong opposition that adopts Anwar as its frontman will continue.

His court case relating to a sodomy charge, starting on Sept 10, is a big worry for the opposition. A lot of resources will be focused on defending Anwar, and on weakening the prosecution's case, including proving that the charge against him is politically motivated.

What is Abdullah's future?

History will perceive Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as the accidental politician and will forgive him for many of his failures because of that. But for the moment, many Malaysians on both sides are simply exasperated by his weak leadership and his inability to adapt to changes. No one mistakes his reticence for astuteness any longer.

His time is up. He has to realise how critical reforms actually are to the future of the country.

If Anwar's attempt at toppling the government does not materialise, then the attention will turn to Umno's general assembly in December. Many Umno leaders are not willing to allow Abdullah to bide his time while they run the risk of being sidelined forever. One goes into politics to gain power, and if the power pyramid that one is part of is sinking, then at some point, one decides that it is every man for himself.

What about Umno's future?

One day quite soon, Malaysians will learn to see political coalitions as temporary solutions to imbalances in power, and not as monolithic and eternal beings that become a goal in themselves. There are no permanent allies and no permanent enemies.

It will be nearly impossible for Umno to regain its former glory. That glory depended on the BN model. Today, it is like the Kuomintang of Taiwan in the '80s. It must go through a radical change, and to do that, it may have to leave the seat of power for a while. Its members have to realise that Malaysia's well-being is not necessarily Umno's well-being.

Even if the party loses power, it can return, but in a new shape and in new alliances. The worst case scenario is that Umno may go the way of the Communist Party in Yugoslavia and disappear. The fear then is that the country will disintegrate along with it.

The best case scenario is that politics in Malaysia will mature to the extent that political opponents no longer wish destruction on each other.

Losing will not be everything, winning will not be everything.

From now to Sept 16 and December, what are the signs to look for?

Abdullah presented his budget on Aug 29 and Parliament is now in recess until the fasting month of Ramadan is over. In the meantime, we have Wednesday to watch, when Anwar goes on trial. Should the sodomy charge be dropped, then the BN admits that its tactic has backfired and it withdraws to fight another day. Should it stick, Anwar's camp will try its best to keep him out of jail.

Given how Anwar was treated the last time he was in detention, his closest supporters fear that some serious harm will come to him while in jail.

Sept 16 is the day to watch — Malaysia Day, the day 45 years ago when Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined the federation. Anwar chose that day as a day of reckoning because it is very symbolic to the East Malaysians who feel let down by the federal government. He promises them a better deal, a simple enough strategy.

Even if Anwar cannot convince 30 BN MPs to cross over to his side, he is expected to mark that day in a dramatic fashion.

What he could do is perhaps to get some defectors to announce their intention publicly on Sept 16, and then hope for a snowball effect from there. He could also announce a defection by Umno MPs. Should nine of them defect, it would mean that Umno loses its majority within the ruling BN coalition. A bigger scoop would be to get a whole party to defect, threatening the existence of the BN itself.

Also important to watch will be the Umno's division elections next month. What support Abdullah still has will become clearer from that. The main challenger to Abdullah within Umno, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, will also be gauging his own strength during that time.

If Anwar were to be Prime Minister, what kind of leader would he be?

His rhetoric seems to echo the wishes of a large segment of the Malaysian population at the moment, and that segment will be dictating what kind of PM he will be. Malaysia is suffering from a leadership problem at the moment, and a lot of hope is being put in him by many.

Anwar has to balance the aims of the parties in his coalition, and we will see compromises being made. That is the reality in Malaysia. But I think a culture of dialogue will be developed under his watch and that will be a great achievement indeed. I think at least that can be accomplished by him.

Anwar can be expected to use a global economic focus to expedite institutional changes and minimise differences in the agendas of various parties. There is a lot of room for change, and with the political support he seems to enjoy, he should be able to do a good job. I think the new democratic atmosphere in Malaysia will see to that.

-TMI

Barisan Nasional Panik

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — Top government leaders yesterday defended an overseas trip planned for Barisan Nasional MPs over the next two weeks, dismissing speculation that it was to prevent their defection to the opposition.

“Why connect their trip to the Sept 16 issue? They are not the ones planning to jump and leave the BN,” said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday.

“We will not give them the opportunity to set up government on Sept 16,” Abdullah said.

The Deputy Premier, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, confirmed that he had approved the trip from Sept 7 to 19 organised by the BN Backbenchers Club for its 75 members.

Sept 16 is the date on which opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim claimed that he would topple the BN government with help of at least 30 BN defectors.

Despite their denials, the coincidental timing swiftly cemented the impression of a panicky BN, as rumours spread wildly yesterday that the first wave of crossovers was imminent.

Even national news agency Bernama had to issue a denial that it had sent a text message that seven BN component parties were holding a news conference to announce that they were quitting the coalition.

Observers say the trip appears to suggest a government losing confidence in itself, and this will increase the pressure on Abdullah to resign and hand over leadership to restore public confidence.

He won a reprieve after announcing that he would retire in mid-2010 but Anwar's landslide victory in the Permatang Pauh by-election has triggered fresh calls for the Prime Minister's resignation.

An Umno MP was dismayed to find out that Abdullah and Najib had endorsed the trip which he had initially believed was a frolic of the backbenchers' club.

“My god. We should not create an unnecessary perception that we are afraid of Anwar, and look like we are panicking,” he told The Straits Times.

Yesterday, the vocal Chinese-based Gerakan party threw in another shocker when its acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said it will review its position in the BN if Umno failed to restore people's confidence.

Gerakan, which has two MPs, had stayed loyal to the BN, to the point of near rebellion from its grassroots.

“We will give a reasonable timeframe, then we will see the situation,” Koh said.

The party was among those rumoured to be announcing a crossover yesterday. After speculation spread like wildfire, seven of the smaller BN component parties especially from Sabah and Sarawak were forced to deny a mass defection.

The BN coalition has 14 component members.

Observers suggest that the rumours could be part of a psychological war by the opposition to diminish confidence in PM Abdullah's government.

The opposition has hinted that 40 MPs are ready to move, although so far, there has been no sign of any movement.

As Sept 16 draws closer, rumours have become so rife that it has become impossible to separate fact from fiction. It is speculated that Kelantan prince Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah may be asked to lead the new government.

Tengku Razaleigh, who is challenging Abdullah for the Umno presidency on a platform of reform, has maintained that he will stand by Umno, and has urged the BN component parties to do the same.

The BN Backbenchers Club chairman Tiong King Sing, an MP from Sarawak, who organised the overseas visit, denied that it had anything to with Anwar.

He said it was an “agriculture study” to look at technologies to increase farm output. The destination had not been confirmed.

“It is a suitable time for us to go on the trip,” he said, referring to the Parliament's six-week break for Ramadan.

The speculation was that the MPs would be brought to Australia or New Zealand.

-TMI

Beware the demands of 916

De facto Pakatan Rakyat leader and newly minted parliamentary Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had proposed that Sept 16 be proclaimed a public holiday in Malaysia.

Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng announced that he would consider this possibility. Soon after that, Kelantan menteri besar Nik Mat Nik Aziz also echoed the same sentiment, adding that it would be better if all the five state governments under Pakatan Rakyat would declare Sept 16 as their state public holiday.

Across the political aisles, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Bernard Dompok from Sabah also opined loudly in his ministerial hat that Sept 16 should be made national holiday. He said, "The day was an important part of the nation's history as it marked the formation of Malaysia in 1963 and should be remembered by all citizens."

Unfortunately, all these suggestions were swept aside by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Rajak, proclaiming that August 31 Merdeka holiday was sufficient.

"Every country has an Independence Day. It is unnecessary to create another day as it invites polemics and interpretations. That is not healthy for unity." Here, the voice of central power has rung out again, to smash to smithereens the feeble dreams of the outlying provinces and colonies.

51 Or 45 Years Old

Expressing her confusion in the op-ed section of the Chinese language Oriental Daily, a young lady writer wondered whether Malaysia is 51 or 45 years of age this year. In all her primary and secondary school years, she was told in history textbooks that Independence for Malaysia was achieved on 31 August, 1957. !6 September, 1963 was an inconsequential date.

When she asked her secondary history teacher why this was so, the teacher could not answer her question, merely reiterating what was printed in the history book, and that all students should love Malaysia.

You could not expect the poor teacher to do otherwise. Teachers are themselves the product of our half century social engineering project conducted through the education system. They too have been conditioned to accept uncritically what is recorded in official history.

On the other hand, my job is to peel back the façade of official history, which is merely the grand narrative of a primal kind of nationalist discourse in any country. In Foucault's words, we have to understand why and how truth has become truth, as history is a process engaged in the production of truth.

After the war, the British found themselves exhausted spiritually and nearly bankrupt economically. It was no longer tenable for them to hold on to their former colonies all over the world; an honourable exit from those territories was the only option.

At a time when the Iron Curtain had descended upon the world, the British Colonial Office had to ensure that, in Malaya at least, they could engineer a hand-over of power to a party that would ensure the access of the "free world" to the critical Strait of Malacca. Apparently, their geo-political strategy drove them towards the moderate leadership of Tunku Abdul Rahman and the Malay nationalist Umno under hi charge.

August 31, 1957 then must have been a monumental symbolic day for the Malay nationalists of the time. It marked the liberation of the Malay people from centuries of internal division, and a history of bondage to various imperialist colonial powers from the West.

In other words, August 31 1957 was the day on which the destiny of the Malay nation had been fulfilled. Finally, the indigenous majority Malay people had sovereign dominion over their homeland, which they named logically: "Tahah Melayu". Naturally, all other symbols of Malay nationalism, such as the rulers, their religion, and their language were firmly entrenched in the Federal Constitution of 1957.

Issue Of Ethnic Relation

Exactly how the Tunku came up with the idea of Malaysia in 1961 before his famous speech at the foreign Press Club of Singapore is beyond me. Someone should delve into the British government archive and examine those relevant declassified records that lie gathering dust within the bowel of the British bureaucracy.

For all parties, the union with Singapore seemed logical geo-politically. Given the situation at the time when Southeast Asia was the premier cockpit of the world, and communism was on the march everywhere.

Despite the natural and great advantage of adding Singapore to the territory of the Malay federation, the Tunku, thinking and acting as the leader of Malay nationalist aspiration, must have pondered upon the racial contradiction of adding more than one million Chinese voters to the electoral equation.

Was the inclusion of Sarawak, Sabah, and Brunei into the proposed new entity of Malaysia a counter proposal from the Tunku? In those three North Borneo territories ruled by the British Colonial Office, the Muslims/Malays did have a significant presence, and the Chinese were a small minority. They also had huge tracts of potentially valuable real estate and very rich deposits of natural resources.

One could not fault the Tunku for thinking as he did, if he did. At the time before and after 1957, Malaya and the North Borneo territories had already become incurably multi-racial. The exciting but frightening prospect of Independence must have traumatised the souls of members of all ethnic communities. The national dialogue naturally gravitated towards the core issue of ethnic relation.

Whatever the motive of the prime actors at that time, the end result is history. Brunei opted out from the Malaysia project, and today, the Sultan of Brunei is the richest man on earth. Singapore proved too much of an anomaly within the Malaysian body politics of communal equation, and became an independent nation in 1967. Today, Singapore is considered a developed state.

Over the last 45 years, great strikes have been made in the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak. Unfortunately, these two resource rich and expansive territories remain as the poorest states in the Federation. The people there are gazing at Brunei and Singapore with undisguised envy. Why this is so will take many volumes to analyse. Apparently, the socio-economic backwardness of these two huge states is only of interest to Sarawakians and Sabahans.

In retrospect, one must admire the Tunku's vision for his nationalist project in 1963. In the March 8 political tsunami this year, when the Umno hegemony and the idea of the BN social contract had been laid in tatters by a maturing electorate, and when the original nationalist project of the Tunku seemed on the verge of collapse, Sarawak and Sabah came to the BN rescue.

The Role Of King-makers

Without the support of the people of Sarawak and Sabah, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would have been denigrated to the position of Malaysian opposition leader in Parliament! For the first time, the MPs from these economically backward, long neglected, and consistently marginalised North Borneon states can play the role of king-makers in national politics, either in less than two weeks' time, or in the next general election.

Democracy is a long continuing process of demands and compromise. When you are king-makers, you would want to make the maximum use of this small window of opportunity, for personal gains perhaps, but also certainly for why you participate in electoral politics in the first place.

Besides the many peculiar features of local politics in Sabah and Sarawak, the political leaders worth their salt in these two states - especially those from of the non-Malay non-Muslim persuasions - must be tempted by this rare historical opportunity to review the Malaysian social contract of 1963.

They will ask themselves many sobering questions. The Tunku might have been prophetic in an oblique way about East Malaysia, but has it been worth the effort for the people of Sabah and Sarawak? With historical hindsight, have Sabah and Sarawak broken away from British dominion, only to become new colonies of Kuala Lumpur?

Is this adamant refusal to recognise September 16 as a day of national importance and the insistence to celebrate August 31 as the Independence Day not a libidinal subconscious mentality of Umno ideology to regard Sarawak and Sabah as mere appendages of Malaya? Were Sarawak and Sabah added to the Malaysian project in 1963 as an accidental after-thought, a historical aside? What people on earth would like to be consistently treated as a historical after-thought?

Indeed the demand to celebrate September 16 by the people of Sarawak and Sabah is an expression of their political will to reinterpret the Malaysian nationhood. Wallowing in the ideological quicksand of the past, the DPM has brushed it aside arrogantly, while Anwar Ibrahim and his now powerful Pakatan Rakyat allies offer their olive branch to East Malaysians and a historic opportunity to fulfil their aspirations.

The contrast between the two elephants cannot be more sharply juxtaposed. How will Sarawakians and Sabahans react? The small political mouse-deer may just not be crushed if he is truly wise. He can determine which elephant rules the jungle.

I share solidarity with my friends in Sarawak and Sabah. In the past, nobody care about all this business about 916. Now the date is paraded daily in the national and alternative media. Malaysians elsewhere begin to realise that Sarawakians and Sabahans do exist in a big way.

Isn't that great for national integration and democracy?

Hindraf does not want to be Big Brother

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — Hindraf is exasperated. The non-governmental movement championing the constitutional rights of ethnic Indian citizens in Malaysia has been inundated with all sorts of appeals for assistance that range from the significant to the mundane from the very same community it seeks to empower.

"Yes, yes; people are coming to us for help with some social requirements: scholarships, birth certificates, welfare for the old," sighed W. Sambulingam, the movement's ideological co-ordinator.

"If there are any temple issues, they refer to us. There was one racist slur used by a teacher in Klang and the parents approached us," he added, noting that ever since its Nov 25 rally last year to protest against the marginalised treatment of the minority ethnic Indians by the dominant Muslim Malay government, the public has come to perceive Hindraf as the replacement for the once-omnipotent MIC.

Last month, the New Straits Times published a small article on the plight of a former sari queen and her sister in Perak who have both been stricken with a medical condition and needed financial aid.

The report, in all probability, would have gone unnoticed, relegated to the back rooms of the mind, like so many other sob stories before it, were it not for the last line: "Those who wish to help Lechimy and her sister, Rani, can call 05-536-1890 or Perak Hindraf co-ordinator S. Vethamoorthi at 019-272-5658".

The public perception of Hindraf — short for Hindu Rights Action Force, although the "Hindu" part is a misnomer as religion has nothing to do with their fight — as the new Big Brother to all Malaysian Indians continues to grow, much to the central committee's chagrin.

"We are not out to replace MIC. That is out of the question!" spluttered Dr B. Chandran, one of the six founding members of Hindraf and the co-ordinator for Police Watch Malaysia, the human rights group from which Hindraf evolved.

"MIC is a political body. We're not a political body. We're not anti-establishment. We're not here to support any political party... but we're always supportive of any bodies that are in line with our stand.

"Hindraf is all about the constitutional rights of Indians in Malaysia; it doesn't matter if they are Hindu or Christian or Muslim," he thundered into the phone when contacted by The Malaysian Insider on Wednesday.

It was obvious from his response that he wholly detested the reference. As Chandran later explained, what Hindraf sought to achieve was the very antithesis to the MIC approach.

For Hindraf to be labelled the new "Big Brother" was not only ironic, it was loathsome, a sentiment Sambulingam expressed in a more succinct manner.

"Hindraf does not want to be a Big Brother. We're not going to be the middle man. We're not going to be mandurs for anyone.

"We just want to make sure we're equally treated in this country. We just want our constitutional rights. We're just going to remain a political pressure group," he said.

Sambulingam, however, acknowledged that there were many calls from supporters following the surprising results of the March 8 general election for Hindraf to enter the political arena to fill the political vacuum created by MIC, which they regarded as irrelevant.

For the longest time, well over 51 years now, Sambulingam elaborated, the majority of ethnic Indians have been brainwashed into thinking that they had no rights at all, despite being Malaysian-born citizens. Anything the community needed, they had to go to the MIC to ask them to intercede with the government.

And then Hindraf came along and they did what MIC had not. They went right down to the ground and told the community that they had rights as citizens of the country, even though their colour and creed were different from the majority. They told them that as citizens, they could demand for their rights directly from the government without approaching the MIC to act as an intermediary.

Thus, the grassroots were enlightened and empowered.

Today, half the movement's leaders have been incarcerated under the Internal Security Act, a provision by law that allows the federal government to detain persons suspected of being a national threat without trial.

There is a small team of co-ordinators, numbering some 10 people scattered throughout the country, who execute the plans drawn up by their chairman P. Waythamoorthy, a lawyer by profession, from his self-imposed exile in London.

"To date we do not have any membership list. It's because Hindraf is not just an organisation, but rather a movement that reflects every Malaysian Indian's feeling and emotion of wanting to be treated as citizens of this country who deserve their constitutional rights.

"In that manner, every Malaysian Indian is our member and they are everywhere in this country," said Sambulingam.

-TMI

Updated: SAPP saga! - Malaysiakini in blogs

The sacking of SAPP no.2 last evening took twists after twists until late in the evening, in the press conference, nothing was mentioned about Raymonds sacking as party officials and members gathered and negotiated while the press is being kept in the dark.
Sources gave me this information of what transpired yesterday.( Believe it at your own risk, I just right it as it was told to me)

During their party meeting last evening, out of anger the president actually sacked his deputy for a few reasons, one being the deputy going against the idea of the no confidence vote, but that played a lesser part as the big argument was the proposal to leave BN, it was said. Other issues also played a part.
Right after the sacking, party officials and members hurriedly tried to calm things down and wanted it to be reconsidered, the highly charged meeting through the night saw a compromise by the president himself assuring the members that he would retract the sacking. There were counter demands I was told. All of these happened in tightly closed doors after a quick press release that only mentioned about the stripping of Raymonds certain positions, which was actually done back in Aug 30 but was never publicly announced.

The negotiations ended late last night without any information as to whether there was any retraction from the president, no official statement or mention of the discussions were given as they left.

I must warn readers here that if some information is circumstantial, I will give note, if rumours I will write as it is, but please refrain from vulgar comments and denials or attacks as I can only try to blog what information is given, and rest assured I will not blog anything about the information I get if I do not have confirmation. And I don't depend on sms info, fact is I don't even use these as they are mostly lies. So don't complain.

Rumours and some confident sources are telling me that Sept 16 will possibly happen, but the impact will be minimal. (Sigh)
They have given this information(with an accuracy of 60~40)
LDP - Full loyalty to BN, no jumping considered.
SAPP - Lost confidence with BN, will mostly be the first and only to jump.
UPKO - 50~50 chance of jumping.
PBS - Not considering jumping, credibility at hand, just rejoined BN.
UMNO - some MP's considering jumping.

Estimate of MP's from Sabah jumping:
6 at the most, 3 at the least.

But the information above could change with new developments in the near future.
So there you are, I can't tell if there will be a Sept. 16 or what will happen during or after, truthfully speaking.
Sept. 16 might happen, but there probably won't be any change in government, unless something changes or took a twist at the last minute.

-DK's DreamWorld

Datuk Che Mat Che Ali Proksi UMNO/BN

Dalam Utusan Online kemarin - KUALA LUMPUR 5 Sept. - Imam Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan, Ramlang Porigi bakal dikenakan tindakan disiplin kerana terbabit secara langsung dalam kempen pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Permatang Pauh baru- baru ini.

Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (Jawi), Datuk Che Mat Che Ali berkata, pihaknya sedang meneliti bentuk tindakan yang boleh diambil terhadap imam berkenaan kerana melanggar etika tugas dengan terbabit dalam politik.

"Saya akan lihat prosedur kerajaan yang sesuai sebelum tindakan dapat diambil," katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.rujuk [sini].

TP - Khak Ptuih...!Rujuk balik kat [sini] - Turut menyaksikan upacara itu ialah Imam Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan, bapa saudara Saiful, 'Uncle Pet', beberapa pegawai masjid berkenaan, ahli keluarga Mohd Saiful, Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (Jawi) iaitu Datuk Che Mat Che Ali dan pegawai dari Jawi.

Soklan untuk Datuk Che Mat Che Ali - Hang proksi sape? Najib? Kehadiran hang masa majlis sumpah Saiful tu atas arahan sape? Yang tu termasuk dalam etika tugas jugak ke? kalau atas arahan, ada surat rasmi ke? boleh tunjuk?

Lagi soklan untuk Datuk Che Mat Che Ali - satu masa dulu masa hang bertugas dekat Labuan hang buat apa? hang pecat Imam masjid Labuan dulu sebab apa? aku dengar sebab politik jugak... etika apa tu?

UMNO/BN Akui Media Tidak Telus.

ADUN Bukit Bendera Ahmad Ismail hari ni mengamuk dalam tivitigesuku.masa dia buat PC dia habaq kat media,kenyataan dia diputar belit dek media...warkhakhakhakha...

2-3 hari lepas PRK P-044 Mahdet pun buat kenyataan yang sama jugak...kenyataan saya diputar belit oleh media...lagi sekali...warkhakhakhakha...

Sebab apa aku gelak?sebab sebelum ni,puaka-puaka UMNO/BN ni la yang sungguh-sungguh dok pertahan "ketelusan" media dibawah naungan depa...skarang apa cerita???

Senjata makan tuan ka?

Pelan-pelan senjata UMNO/BN makan tuan...kita dalam Pakatan Rakyat tak yah kalut-kalut.kita tengok je dari jauh sambil gelak...kah kah kah kah kah...

Padan Muka Hangpa..!

Kah Kah Kah!!! UMNO/BN Kalah Lagi...

Pusingan pertama PRU-12 UMNO/BN hampir lumpuh dikerjakan gerakan cyber Pakatan Rakyat.dulu bukan main lagi depa berlagak dengan kelebihan media perdana yang depa ada.habis semua sekali media Tivi, Rediyo, Akhbar depa ligan habis-habis...semua yang ada tu depa manipulasi cukup-cukup kunun nak lawan Pakatan Rakyat...

Keluar result PRU-12 je...Pak Lah wat muke toya..."kita berjaya dapat majoriti yang cukup untuk bentuk kerajaan"...kah kah kah kah kah...sedih macam labi-labi sangkut rawai muka Pak Lah masa tu...

Dulu UMNO/BN bukan main gedebe dengan 2/3 majoriti dalam Perleman.skarang apa sudah jadi Pak Lah?

Mula dari hari tu, Pak Lah dah start sasau.buat tu tak kene,buat ni tak kene.

Hari ni Pak Lah kene lagi...bukan Pak Lah je yang kene...seluruh jentera UMNO/BN kene pukulan TKO hari ni...depa pakai media perdana,kita pakai cyber je...tapi kita tetap cool,Pak Lah pun cool jugak...tapi cool kita,cool macho...cool Pak Lah & UMNO/BN cool sejuk...nyaris-nyaris hancooorrr...

Kah kah kah kah kah...

Aku tengok hari ni UMNO/BN cukup huru-hara.member aku orang kuat UMNO/BN.hari ni aku tengok dia punya bz mengalahkan masa PRU-12 dengan PRK P-044.

Dari tengahari tadi dia dok sibuk call sana-sini...dok kesan mana MP2 & ADUN2 UMNO/BN lepak...sejam sekali kene report dekat orang Pak Lah...kah kah kah kah kah...

Padan muka depa...hari seterusnya banyak lagi kejutan untuk UMNO/BN.hangpa tunggu jela...

Esok akan ada lagi SMS khabar tak baik untuk UMNO/BN...depa akan gelabah lagi...Pak Lah tak dapat tido lagi...mungkin mulai esok semua MP2 & ADUN2 BN akan dimintak berkampung di Putrajaya.

Pak Lah tak tido lagi...kita tengok no 13 & no 16 yang mana lagi berhantu.

Cywar lawan medwar...dah terbukti,UMNO kalah lagi.

Kah kah kah kah kah!

Pak Lah Nyaris Tumbang Digasak...

Malam tadi lepas buka puasa, aku tengok berita macam biase... tapi hari ni ada sikit best...

Pagi tadi aku sampai opis macam orang kene loteri... sebab aku dapat sms... sms tu habaq, hari ni acara lompat akan bermula... aku senyum je...

Tengahari lagi best... aku dah macam operator bomba... panggilan kecemasan tak renti-renti, letih aku menjawab.sms tok sah cakap... 1 pun aku tak layan, semua reti tanya update tapi x reti nak top up(hahahaha).

Aku jamin Pak Lah hari ni lagi bz giler... bz call segala MP & ADUN BN... sibuk dok riki lokasi MP2 & ADUN2 BN... khakhakhakha...

Malam tadi aku tengok muka Pak Lah dalam tivitigesuku aku tau dah... Pak Lah tak dan tido hari ni... pertama kali dalam sejarah pentadbiran Pak Lah, Pak Lah bekerja keras-sekeras-kerasnya hari ni.

Hari ni jugak 1st time yang pertama Pak Lah pakai telipon... wakhakhakhakha...

Dalam tivitigasuku tadi aku tengok muka Pak Lah merah... merah sebab kene bodo dekat Pakatan Rakyat... Pakatan Rakyat tengok je dari jauh Pak Lah gelabah seko-seko...

MP2 & ADUN2 BN pun bizi jugak hari ni... bz sebab 1/2 jam skali Pak Lah call depa tanya habaq...

Kah kah kah kah kah...

Sikiiiiiit lagi Pak Lah nak tumbang...

Kah kah kah kah kah kah

Kisah Khairy Jamaluddin Part - 2

Kali ini adalah lebih sesuai kalau kita pergi dahulu kepada yang asas.

Siapa dia si Khairy Jamaluddin ?Buat masa kini, Khairy Jamaluddin sudah menjadi orang yang paling perkasa di negara ini.

Beliau amat berbeza dengan ramai ahli politik lain yang sudah dikesan akan asal usulnya kerana perjalanan hidup mereka memang sudah sedia ada dalam pengetahuan umum.

Tetapi Khairy adalah laksana 'dewa kayangan' yang tiba-tiba muncul dalam arus perdana politik Malaysia.

Ramai yang mula terpinga-pinga apakah dia ini sengaja dihantar khas oleh kuasa tertentu, seperti CIA ataupun mungkin juga perkhidmatan risikan Singapura.

Bukan mudah seseorang itu mendapat kuasa besar semacam dia kecuali mereka menerima bantuan khusus daripada sumber tertentu?

Inilah yang pernah dibayangkan oleh Yahaya Ismail dalam bukunya dahulu.

TKT Mahathir sudah naik risau mengenainya sehingga pada saat akhir beliau menjadi Perdana Menteri dia telah mengarahkan Cawangan Khas Polis menyediakan satu laporan mengenai Khairy.

Inilah laporan yang dibuat pendua dan salinan dan dihantar kepada Najib Tun Razak.

Satu salinan lagi telah dikirimkan kepada sahabat akrab Khairy di NST (Ketua Editor Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan - ini satu cerita lain untuk satu waktu yang lain ya!) Di sebalik janji-janji untuk berkhidmat secara "Mesra, Cepat dan Betul" pegawai polis yang berkuasa mengenai laporan itu tidak berani menyentuh perasaan bapa mertua Khairy yakni bakal Perdana Menteri (semasa itu) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Lagi pun, ketika itu Abdullah hanya menunggu masa kira-kira beberapa bulan sahaja lagi untuk mengungguli kuasa.

Justeru, satu laporan yang mengatakan segala-galanya adalah dalam keadaan baik telah dikeluarkan.

Namun demikian, kita mesti sedar bukanlah perkara aneh kalau ada satu-dua pegawai yang menganggotai pucuk pentadbiran digunakan oleh kuasa asing sebagai perisik upahan (tentu kita masih ingat kisah bekas Setiausaha Mahathir sendiri yang bernama Siddiq Ghouse, yang dikatakan seorang perisik upahan KGB).

Segala kisah benar mengenai Khairy dan hubungan beliau dengan perkhidmatan risikan asing tidak akan tersiar secara merata kerana dia sudah terlalu rapat dengan puncak kuasa.

Berbeza dengan Siddiq Ghouse, Khairy kini sudah menjadi anggota keluarga Badawi dan sudah tentu kita tidak akan menuduh seorang anggota keluarga yang rapat sebagai seorang perisik? Namun, ini tidak mengetepikan tanggapan ramai apakah Khairy berjaya meloncat ke tahap itu tanpa bantuan daripada luar?

Sebenarnya, Khairy memang dapat bantuan daripada luar, tetapi mungkin bukan daripada orang asing.

Masanya memang amat sesuai untuk munculnya seorang anak muda yang bijak bestari seperti Khairy kerana selama dua puluh dua tahun TKT Mahathir mencengkam kuasa, UMNO sudah menjadi satu parti yang dianggotai oleh tukang angguk sahaja.

Tidak ada orang lain lagi, yang berani tidak sebulu dengan Mahathir dan sistem pentadbiran beliau.

Dalam parti yang dianggotai oleh tukang angguk dan pengamal rasuah, tentunya sesiapa yang nampak pintar dan mampu berceloteh boleh dianggap sebagai raja juga.

Maka kerana itu Khairy muncul sebagai ulat taik yang paling besar dalam tong taik yang bernama UMNO.

Eloklah kita mulakan dari tahap awal lagi.

Khairy Jamaluddin dilahirkan 29 tahun dahulu.

Bapa beliau ialah bekas seorang diplomat, Datuk Jamaluddin Abu Bakar yang sudah menjadi arwah sekarang.

Ayah beliau berasal daripada sebuah kampung kecil di Rembau dan mempunyai hubungan kekeluargaan dengan beberapa orang politik Negri Sembilan.

Salah seorang anak saudara Datuk Jamaluddin ialah Datuk Shahziman Abu Mansor, yang kini merupakan seorang Timbalan Menteri di dalam pentadbiran Abdullah Badawi dan beliau juga merupakan MP (Ahli Parlimen) Tampin.

Arwah Datuk Jamaluddin pernah berkhidmat di beberapa kedutaan kita di luar negara dan meninggal semasa berkhidmat di sana.

Cara hidup berpindah-randah begini yang memberi laluan kepada Khairy menerima pendidikan luar negara termasuk di Singapura dan United Kingdom.

Khairy tidak pernah belajar di sekolah tempatan dan dalam negeri dan untuk satu tempoh yang panjang dalam hidupnya beliau amat kekok dengan bahasa ibunda sendiri, serta merasa tidak begitu selesa bersembang dengan ahli keluarganya.

Di sebalik khidmat luar negara yang panjang itu, Datuk Jamaluddin pernah juga pulang untuk berkhidmat seketika di negara sendiri.

Beliau pernah bertugas di Kementerian Belia dan Sukan semasa kementerian diterajui oleh Tan Sri Samad Idris.

Secara kebetulan Pengarah Belia ketika itu dan naik menjadi Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian ialah seorang insan bernama Abdullah Badawi.

Sebagai orang gomen, mereka berdua mengongsi kegemaran yang sama termasuk menganggotai kumpulan yang dikira "Malay ultra".

Apabila Abdullah melepaskan perkhidmatan awam pada 1974 untuk bertanding sebagai MP di Kepala Batas (yang pernah diisi oleh bapanya, bekas Ketua Pemuda PAS Ahmad Badawi Sheikh Abdullah Fahim), mereka terus menjalin talian persahabatan itu.

Apabila Jamaluddin meninggal dunia, Abdullah dan isterinya Endon Mahmood Ambak, terus menjalin persahabatan dengan janda Jamaluddin, yang berasal daripada Kedah.

Sesungguhnya kerjaya Datuk Jamaluddin bukanlah hebat sangat.

Beliau dianggap sebagai seorang yang angkuh, bergaya dan sombong.

Beliau kerap cemuh oleh para pembantunya kerana sikap beliau yang lebih mementingkan perkara yang remeh-temeh.

Seorang pembantu beliau pernah berkata bagaimana Datuk Jamaluddin pernah berkata bagaimana beliau lebih menghormati seseorang "yang pandai menyimpul tali-leher yang cantik daripada kualiti laporan yang disediakannya"

Khairy memang cepat pandai semasa belajar dahulu walaupun memang ada unsur-unsur besar kepala dalam dirinya.

Beliau begitu kritikal akan dasar pemerintahan negara.

Walaupun beliau pernah menunjukkan kekagumannya terhadap pentadbiran Mahathir, sebenarnya dia tidaklah sampai menjadi pengkagum Mahathir.

Malahan, dia pernah menentang banyak tindak-tanduk Mahathir.

Itupun secara diam-diam dan menyorok-nyorok.

Semasa menuntut di Oxford beliau pernah menyatakan keraguannya terhadap Mahathir kepada rakan-rakannya rakyat Malaysia di seberang laut.

Sewaktu itulah dia menarik perhatian seorang insan bernama Omar Ong.

Omar Ong adalah insan berketurunan Cina.

Beliau adalah anak Mustapha Ong, bekas Setiausaha Sulit Menteri Penerangan Mohamad Rahmat, dan pernah satu ketika berkhidmat dalam perkhidmatan diplomatik di New York dan Brazil. Kini Mustapha Ong menetap di New Zealand.

Si Mustapha Ong menjadi terkenal dalam 'skandal' Anwar Ibrahim.

Sepanjang perbicaraan itu telah terdedah kisah bagaimana dia cuba menyogok rasuah kepada seorang pemandu teksi keturunan Arab di New York, yang bernama Jamal Amro.

Tujuan sogokan itu ialah agar Jamal sanggup mengaku yang dia menyediakan budak lelaki dan wanita untuk menghibur Anwar.

Jamal Amro enggan berbuat demikian dan sebaliknya membuat laporan polis menuduh Mustapha Ong cuba menyogok beliau.

Mustapha Ong mendapat perlindungan daripada Mahathir walaupun keghairahan beliau itu menyebabkan kerajaan menjadi teraib, dan keaiban itu khusus terasa oleh masyarakat diplomatik di seberang laut.

Apapun, Omar Ong ternyata memang mempunyai cita-cita tinggi.

Dia cuba naik dengan memaut kepada orang politik yang sedang meningkat bintangnya sebagai satu laluan mudah untuk merangkul kuasa.

Omar pernah mengetuk pintu pejabat Timbalan Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim melalui ihsan dan bantuan segelintir Setiausaha Politik beliau.

Usaha itu ternyata berjaya apabila Anwar diminta menerima ketibaan Omar Ong dan kumpulan beliau secara peribadi.

Beberapa pertemuan susulan diadakan dan Omar Ong menjadi begitu berharap bahawa Anwar akan memudahkan pencapaian idamannya.

Akan tetapi, ada pula beberapa halangan disebabkan tentangan daripada beberapa orang Anwaristas seperti Suhaimi Ibrahim, Fuad Hassan, dan Zahid Hamidi yang begitu rakus tidak mengongsi Anwar dengan pihak lain.

Entah macam mana Omar berjaya bertemu dengan Daim Zainuddin secara tidak disangkanya.

Sejurus itu Omar sedar akan sesuatu yang besar sedang menggelegak di tahap atasan di mana Anwar Ibrahim dikatakan berkemungkinan akan dilanyak dan dilenyek.

Dengan pantas Omar bertindak untuk mengubah haluan dan melupakan "Projek Anwar" dan cuba mendekati Najib Tun Razak pula.

Tindakan ini dibuatnya kira-kira tiga bulan sebelum Anwar Ibrahim ditendang oleh Mahathir.

Akan tetapi, Najib bukan calang-calang manusia untuk ditembusi oleh Omar Ong.

Beliau sedar betapa Najib sudah dikepungi oleh para loyalis yang ternyata setiakawan sejak beliau mula berkhidmat dengan kerajaan dahulu dan sudah tentu sesiapa yang baru muncul akan ditapis secara rapi.

Kerana itu Omar berpendirian adalah lebih baik dia cuba nasibnya dengan Hishamuddin Hussein.

Ketika itu Hishamuddin Hussein merupakan muka baru dalam politik UMNO.

Cuma dia mempunyai nama besar di sebalik namanya sendiri.

Memang tidak syak lagi, selepas kematian Hussein Onn, TKT Mahathir berpendirian yang dia masih terhutang budi kepada Perdana Menteri Ketiga itu dan keluarganya.

Mahathir melonjakkan Hishamuddin ke laluan ekspres dalam dunia politik sehingga mengetepikan orang lama dalam Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO seperti Nazri dan Zahid Hamidi. Hishamuddin naik pangkat beberapa kali dalam masa setahun.

Kenaikan pangkat yang bertubi-tubi itu telah menghenyak kepintaran Hisham.

Dia bukanlah seorang yang pintar sangat masa zaman persekolahannya.

Hisham pun bukan petah sangat bercakap.

Muka Hisham pun bukan laku sangat disebabkan senyuman sinisnya yang mudah mengimbau ingatan kepada senyuman seorang Pope (Papa Katholik) yang terbaring kaku selepas mati.

Omar Ong mula membantu menaikkan semangat Hishamuddin dan sahabatnya di Oxford yang bernama Khairy kerap datang membantunya.

Tidak lama kemudian, Hishamuddin mula lebih bergantung harap kepada Khairy berbanding kepada Omar Ong.

Sebagai membalas jasa, Hishamuddin telah memperkenalkan Omar Ong dan kumpulan beliau kepada orang yang rapat dengan Dr. Mahathir seperti Setiausaha Politik, Datuk Johari Baharom dan Ketua Pengarah ISIS, Dr. Nordin Sopiee.

Secara kebetulan ketika itu, anak perempuan Abdullah Badawi bernama Nori telah masuk berkhidmat dengan ISIS sebagai seorang pembantu penyelidik.

Nordin telah memperkenalkan Nori kepada Khairy.

Abdullah Badawi sudah menjadi Naib Presiden UMNO ketika itu dan berkemungkinan menggantikan Anwar Ibrahim seandainya sesuatu musibah seperti helikopter terhempas menimpa beliau.

Memang berlaku kejadian helikopter Anwar jatuh terhempas.

Dia tidak ada dalam helikopter itu semasa kejadian.

Tetapi pada September 1998 Anwar telah tersingkir.

Seperti kebanyakan rakyat Malaysia Khairy tidak mempercayai segala tohmahan yang dilemparkan oleh Mahathir terhadap Anwar.

Akan tetapi, masa itu adalah satu keemasan baginya.

Itulah masa yang perlu dirangkul oleh Khairy dan Omar Ong.

Ada satu metos yang berlegar selepas kejatuhan Anwar.

Metos itu mengatakan bahawa Khairy sentiasa menaruh simpati terhadap perjuangan 'Reformasi" Anwar.

Ada berita angin mengatakan satu kisah betapa seorang pelajar pernah secara terbuka meminta Mahathir melepaskan jawatannya dalam satu pertemuan Mahathir dengan pelajar-pelajar di London.

Desas-desus itu mengatakan bahawa pelajar tersebut adalah Khairy, sebenarnya.

Ada pula satu cerita mengatakan bahawa ketika itu Khairy merupakan sahabat lelaki kepada Nurul Izzah, anak sulung Anwar.

Tetapi, persahabatan mereka tidak menjadi apabila Dr. Wan Azizah isteri Anwar enggan memilih Khairy sebagai Setiausaha Politik beliau.

Sebaliknya Azizah telah melantik Nik Affendi Jaafar (kini bertugas sebagai Pengurus Kanan Hubungan Seranta KWSP).

Nampaknya semua desas-desus ini sengaja direkacipta oleh para penyokong Anwar yang mahukan Khairy menyebelahi mereka, walaupun secara senyap-senyap.

Yang sebetulnya Khairy sendiri sudah nampak akan kelompongan yang disebabkan kejatuhan Anwar secara mendadak dahulu dan Khairy telah mengambil kesempatan itu untuk melonjakkan dirinya ke puncak mercu kuasa politik negara.

Inilah ketikanya Khairy cuba rapat dengan orang yang bermasalah semasa itu Dr. Mahathir.

Khairy telah menggunakan khidmat Nordin Sopiee untuk cuba mendapatkan pekerjaan di pejabat Perdana Menteri.

Permohonan beliau telah disokong oleh Hishamuddin Hussein.

Apabila Mahathir menolak, setelah melihat akan tindak-tanduk dan gerak-geri Khairy, si Khairy telah cuba mendapatkan peluang dengan orang yang berpangkat rendah sikit daripada Mahathir.

Dia tidak pergi kepada Abdullah, tetapi kepada Najib.

Ketika itu Najib dilihat sebagai orang yang paling cocok menggantikan Anwar sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri.

Malahan, Asiaweek telah bersuara lantang mengatakan Najib adalah tokoh yang perlu diperhati untuk jawatan itu.

Akan tetapi Najib amat teliti untuk mengambil orang baru kerana tidak mahu menyentuh perasaan orang lama yang setia kepadanya.

Malahan tidak ada sebab dia mesti mengambil Khairy kerana dia sudah yakin yang Mahathir akan memilih beliau sebagai pengganti.

Inilah keputusan yang amat disesali Najib kemudiannya.

Impian Najib tidak kesampaian pun.

Mahathir berpendirian adalah lebih mudah mengawal negara ini melalui Abdullah sebagai Timbalannya.

Mahathir tidak memandang tinggi terhadap Abdullah kerana dia pernah menyokong kumpulan Tim B dalam UMNO satu ketika dahulu (yang setia kepada Musa Hitam).

Orang semacam ini mudah dijadikan boneka yang baik.

Sejurus nama Abdullah diumumkan, Najib dan Rosmah, isterinya telah menitiskan air mata di luar bilik penantian, kerana terkejut beruk dan tidak percaya akan nasib mereka.

Ketika itu Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Abdullah mula melantik orang baru mengisi jawatan yang banyak kosong.

Sebagai contoh, sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Abdullah diberikan dua Setiausaha politik dan bukan lagi seorang, dan lapan pegawai khas dan bukan lagi dua orang.

Salah satu jawatan Pegawai Khas ini telah diberikan kepada Khairy.

Bagaimanakah Khairy berjaya merangkul jawatan itu? Inilah keadaan sama-sama saling bantu membantu.

Abdullah telah meminta Nordin Sopee memberikan beberapa cadangan akan nama orang yang patut mengisi jawatan yang kosong.

Dua nama telah dikemukakannya. Khairy dan seorang lagi nama penyelidik ISIS (yang kini bertugas dalam kerajaan juga) akan tetapi penyelidik ISIS itu telah gagal pemeriksaan keselamatan (ibu beliau adalah seorang penyokong Reformasi) lagi pun anak perempuan Abdullah sedang dilamun cinta dan begitu ghairah menyokong nama calon yang nombor satu.

Beginilah nasib baik Khairy.

Dia mula meniti tangga kejayaan kerjayanya.

Dengan pantas dia membalas jasa orang-orang yang membantu mendorong dia kepada laluan ekspres tadi.

Omar Ong telah ditempatkannya dalam pejabat Najib sebagai Pegawai Khas untuk menentukan segala-galanya ditanggung beres.

Inilah ketentuan dan perjalanan dan aktiviti politik dalam tong taik yang bernama UMNO.

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